Falling Stars
by Leonaria Dragonbane
Summary: She watched him fall like a shooting star from the top of the Statue...Will it be the burning out of a dying star, or the answer to a wish...Please R & R COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

Falling Stars

I don't own the Brotherhood or the X-Men and hope to God Marvel is nice to people who play in their playground…

Yes another Victor Creed fic…he's still living in my brain….

She sat there, watching the television, shock running through her entire body, the little stick in her hand almost forgotten as she saw his face; his name and the words presumed dead…she wanted to collapse in a dead faint. He couldn't die. He was her savior, her salvation, her lover – there was no way he could die…

She sat there, the news running over and over, the pictures of that horrible wave of energy, the explosion from the top of the statue, a large body falling from the top and through a boat and into the water. She knew it had been him, and she wanted to throw up every time they ran the amateur footage someone captured from a cell phone.

She looked at the little stick in her hand…the time was up, her time was up, it was positive, and he was dead. What was she going to do now? She sat there staring at the television, she couldn't stop watching it, and it was like a train wreck. The train wreck of her life.

The tears just kept flowing. He had been so sweet, walking her home from work so she didn't have to walk through Central Park alone at night, paying for a cab when he couldn't walk her home. She didn't really know when she wanted more, but after two months of him being there, leaving her at the door to her building, she finally invited him up. He didn't stay the night, he never did, but he didn't disappear either. He was right there, the next evening to walk her home. He came up when invited, sometimes he would ask, most of the time he didn't have to.

He was always gone before morning, he never went to sleep, but he didn't leave right after sex either. They would talk, he would hold her, but he would always make sure to leave before she went to sleep, as if he didn't want her to wake up and him not be there.

He had told her he had to go out of town for work that had been a month ago, he had called a couple times, to let her know he was thinking of her, but it had always been from a restaurant or truck stop, not his personal cell phone. She had called that a couple times, and left him a message, but mostly to hear his voice on the phone.

Now he was gone…dead, and a Mutant, capital M…she didn't care so much about that, but what they were saying on the news, that they had been trying to wipe out New York City, she couldn't believe he would have done that, not without warning her first, trying to get her out. Would he really want her dead? Did she mean that little? When had she fallen in love with him? Why did he have to DIE for her to realize it?

She sat looking at the white plastic stick in her hand. She was carrying his child, something of him, his…she didn't care that the baby was probably a mutant; all she cared about was that it was his. Maybe it would have his eyes, his chin, and his beautiful hair. She drifted off in thought, imagining the child she was carrying.

There was a light tapping on one of her windows. Damned pigeons again, she ignored it. It grew louder and more insistent. Finally she turned and looked for the sound. It was coming from the kitchen window, where the fire escape was. She turned and looked and nearly fainted again. He was looking in the window; tapping on it with a long…talon was the only word she could think of. His long hair was plastered to his head and covered in dirt and twigs from the river bottom. She could see his clothing was soaked, and she ran to open the window. The only thought going through her mind was 'He's alive…He's ALIVE!'

He climbed in the window, shucking his waterlogged overcoat onto the small table. It groaned under the weight of the soaked leather. He didn't even look at her, just seemed to sniff the air, then went straight into the bedroom and grabbed a bag, something small enough to carry but big enough for a couple changes of clothing. She followed him as he opened the drawers and pulled out jeans, t shirts, underwear, and a set of sweats, a couple extra sweat tops, and heavy socks. He stuffed them all in the bag, and he still hadn't said a word.

"Do you have a heavy coat?" He finally asked.

She just stared at him. He finally looked over at her, she had never seen his eyes like this, completely black, no whites, pure black.

"A COAT!" He growled at her, trying to keep his voice down. She nodded and pointed at the entry closet. "Grab it."

She trembled and did what he said, grabbing her heaviest coat from the closet. He took it and looped it through the straps of the bag, before putting his arms through the straps. He headed back to the kitchen and started to put on the overcoat.

"GET SOME SHOES ON!! Heavy ones." She ran back into her room and pulled on an old pair of hiking boots she wore when she went on weekend hikes in the country. She walked back into the living room. She was wearing a jeans and T-shirt she had put on after work today. She didn't know what he was going to do.

"Out the window, let's go." He helped her gently onto the fire escape and then climbed out behind her. He stood up and looked down at her. "Put your arms around my neck and hang on, I am going straight up the wall."

He climbed the wall with her between him and it, she almost slipped once, but he stopped, one leg between hers holding her up until she could get a new grip. They were almost ten stories in the air, and he was still climbing. Finally they reached the roof, and he led her across the rooftops, carrying her when he had to jump, not letting her fall. She trusted him, she didn't care what he had done, he was the man she loved and she trusted him.

Finally they reached a small helipad on the top of one of the buildings. There was a small helicopter there, and he climbed in and started warming it up.

"Get in."

She climbed into the seat next to him. He handed her a set of ear covers and she put them on. The chopper started to warm up, but he sat there and waited. They waited over half an hour before he finally revved up the blades and took off. She saw a brief look of sadness cross his face, and then the stone that he had been all evening.

She couldn't hear a sound over the blades of the helicopter, and she wasn't sure he would answer her if she spoke to him anyway. She watched the city, and then the smaller towns and countryside pass under them, as they flew further and further north.

She didn't want to bother him, but she was having a bad cramping down low in her abdomen. She was afraid…afraid to tell him she was pregnant, and afraid to tell him she might be losing it. He kept glancing her way, not saying a word. She just kept looking at her hands in her lap.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

DAMN! Today had been rough. First the whole shit at the train station, and then having to be Mags' errand boy, 'fetch the girl,' 'put her in the machine,' 'sit,' 'stay,' he was Sabretooth not some God damned dog. The whole fight at the top of the statue had at least been fun, well until the damned kid got his damned glasses back and shot him straight to the bottom of the river. By the time he had managed to swim to shore, the police, harbor patrol, and FBI had been all over the island. He had looked for the frog boy for a few minutes, then took off for Naomi's apartment.

He hadn't planned on going in, or even letting her know anything. Somehow, and he still didn't understand how or why, he felt responsible for her, for her safety, for making sure she was alright. Her pacing in her apartment, trying not to pull her hair out, tears streaming down her face had been like the Runt's claws through the chest, only without healing up right away. He had tapped on the window, just to get her attention, to let her know he was alive. He hadn't planned on going, hadn't planned any of this.

She had opened the window and the scent had hit him like a ton of bricks. A cub, HIS cub, there was no way in hell he was leaving them where someone could remember that he walked her home from work. He packed her clothes, made her get a coat and some shoes on, and then took off for the fallback location. He had nearly dropped her at one point, nearly ripping his claws out of his hands, to cling to the wall while she got a better grip.

He could smell blood coming from her, shit! She was losing the damned cub. It had to have been the stress, he had been very careful not to drop her, not to make her move faster than she was capable of, and she was still spotting at least. He needed to get her to a doctor, but he needed to get them to safety first. He kept glancing over at her, worried. She was his, his frail, and no one better try to fucking with her.

He remembered the first time he saw her, his first thought, as he looked through the trees, scoping out spots to photograph the statue, his first thought had been _DAMN! Nice legs._ His second had been _What the fuck is she doing going into Central Park at NIGHT!_ He had stopped her, given her a lecture on going into the park at night.

She had given him a dazzling smile, and assured him she made the walk every day, and then walked off. He had followed, making sure she made it through, and she had smiled and thanked him at her building door. The second day it had been the same thing, and he would be damned if he was going to let her get hurt while he was in the park. Two months he had been there, walking her home, getting to know her as they walked through the park together.

She had invited him up to her apartment, cooked him dinner, and he would be damned if she hadn't invited him to stay the night. He knew he couldn't stay all night, he needed to report back to Mags and Mystique, but he had defiantly taken her up on her offer. He found that her apartment also had an excellent view of the statue and Ellis Island and he was able to get some good shots from there.

He had stayed every night for three months, leaving around two in the morning to report back to Magneto. He had even taken her on his scouting trip to the statue, she had never been and it gave him an excuse to get inside and take pictures. Mystique had given him a hard time about the normal in a couple of the shots, but as soon as he threatened to delete the shots so she wouldn't have to look at a normal she backed down. They had been good tactical shots.

He made sure they didn't know about his normal, his frail. He didn't want anyone able to use her against him. He wasn't really sure when she became his, but it was before the first night in her apartment, but after he started walking her through the park. The last month had been difficult, he had been out of town, and only able to call her from public places since he had no cell phone service waiting on the damned mutant to show up. His heart had lurched when he got back in service range and saw the number of messages. She had called to hear his voice on his message, not to bother him. He had wanted to go straight to her, to let her know he was ok, but Mags had other plans.

Well, it didn't matter, she was his, she was with him, and as soon as he could get her to a doctor, they would try to save the cub. He had a fucking family and didn't know what to do about it. Even in the dark he could see the small cabin tucked into the clearing, but he flew back over it, down to the small town below the mountain. He had an old friend, drinking buddy, poker buddy, who was also a doctor. He landed behind his house and shut down the chopper. There was enough fuel to make it back up to his cabin, but he was going to have to find a way to fuel up the chopper soon.

She had dozed off, and he reached over and shook her, to wake her up, dawn's light creeping into the cabin of the helicopter.

XXXXXXXXX

His hand shook her awake. She didn't know when she had dozed off but she knew as soon as she woke up that something was wrong. Her stomach was cramping hard. He had turned of the engine of the helicopter and walked around to her side. He opened the door, and wouldn't let her walk; he carried her toward a building rapidly becoming visible in the dawn light. It was a small house in a small town; somehow she didn't think it was where they would be staying.

"Ed open the door…" He pounded on it with his foot.

A light came on and an older man came to the back door. She was half awake and not really aware of what was being said over her head.

He carried her into a small examination room, and laid her on the table. He sat near her head, stroking her hair, and she dozed off again, the pain wasn't as bad lying down. The older man injected her in the arm with something and she slipped into unconsciousness.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

He watched her, her eyes closed and she was unaware of what was going on around her.

"Ed…do what you can."

"It would help if I knew what was wrong, Vic?"

"She's pregnant. Been cramping and spotting the entire time in the chopper."

"How long was the flight."

"Long."

"I can't promise miracles." He situated the unconscious woman to examine her.

"Do you know how far along she is?"

"Can't be more than six weeks, but no less than four." He told the doctor.

"Victor, She's bleeding heavily. Do you know when this started?"

"No…I couldn't tell you exactly."

He paced the floor, and at the heavy scent of blood and death he knew the cub was gone. He wanted to howl, wanted to scream. If he had known this was going to happen he wouldn't have dragged her out here, he wouldn't have put her or the cub at risk like this.

Ed looked at him in sympathy. He never could bluff the old doctor, and had actually lost quite a bit of money to him over the years playing poker.

"I gave her some morphine for the pain, her body should clean out like a regular cycle, and I would give her a month or two to get back on regular ovulatory cycles before trying again."

Try again. What the fuck? It wasn't like he had planned this. If he had anything to say about it, cubs were out of the question now. He had her, she was his, and he would keep the frail, the cabin was a good safe place, she'd have to learn to live out here, but she'd adapt, and if not, well she was a frail, he'd miss her a few months after she died and then move on.

He paced the room, waiting for her to wake up. He could smell snow in the wind and wanted to get to the cabin before they were snowed in. He knew there were repairs that were going to need to be made to live in it. While he was waiting, Ed helped him load some things they were going to need into the chopper, blankets, food, matches, tarps in case the roof needed repaired, and bottles of water. The well was probably frozen, and he still hadn't put in an electric pump and generator so they would either have to haul water from the stream or buy it in town.

By the time she started to stir, the chopper was loaded with enough to get them through the storm. He paced by the bed, waiting for her to wake up.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Her mouth felt like it was filled with cotton. Her head was pounding and she was aching down low in her gut. She was lying on a narrow bed in an exam room. He was pacing the floor impatiently next to the bed.

"You're awake."

"What happened?" His face was so fierce, not at all the man he had been the last few months. She was almost afraid to ask him, but she had to know.

"The doc can explain it, but we don't have a lot of time. Snow's comin and I want to get to the cabin before it hits." He had a clean set of clothes on, and a heavy coat. Her coat was lying on the chair next to the bed.

"Cabin? Doc? Snow?" It all came in garbled. All she wanted to know was what had happened.

"You need to get dressed, we need to get to the cabin before the snows hit."

"I…why did you bring me here?" She was afraid of the answer. It was obviously a doctor's office.

"You…needed a doc."

"Why?"

"We don't have time for this…we need to go soon."

"I don't want to go anywhere until I know what is going on."

"You…the cub…the baby…we don't have time for this."

"Oh God…NO!" She was sitting there half in shock. "Oh please, no, please…I won't bother you, I will be out of the way, I will take care of it, do everything, please…please don't do this." Tears were flowing down her cheeks. Maybe she was in time, maybe the doctor hadn't performed the procedure. She hadn't had much to do on the flight but think, and there was one thing she was certain of, she wanted this baby.

"I brought you to a doc I can trust. The..you…Hell! The cub…it…" He picked up her clothes and handed them to her. It was then she realized she was in one of those hospital gowns. She blushed and started trying to get dressed, the meaning of what he wasn't saying becoming starkly clear. The baby was gone. She had just found out, and now it was gone.

Had he done it, or rather had it done? Was it just not meant to be? What the hell had happened?

"We don't have time for this." He snarled again. Where was the man she had known in New York? Who was this man…this creature? No, he was still a man, she had to believe that. In there, somewhere was the man who had protected her through the park for months on end. She shook her head as she pulled the last of her clothes on. He wouldn't have done it, not without discussing it with her. She kept telling herself that, silently, as she followed him out to the helicopter.

"I'll see about getting those supplies ordered for you, Vic, and get them up to the cabin. Here's the key, you might need it, door was still locked last time I was up there. You want me to see about getting some aircraft fuel as well?"

"Yea, Ed, if you don't mind. I kinda want ta keep the helio if I can."

They climbed into the warmed up chopper and he flew them up the mountain to a small cabin in a clearing. She didn't even see a trail through the woods for a truck to reach it. He landed the bird near the house and switched it off.

"You are going ta have ta help unload some of this stuff. Doc wants ya off your feet for a few days, so as soon as I get a bed set up, you are goin in it."

She just nodded. She still didn't know what was going on, entirely, but somehow she knew he would take care of her. He handed her the light stuff, blankets, light groceries and he carried the rest.

The cabin wasn't in bad shape; the door was still hanging, and still locked. He dropped the load he was carrying and fished in a pocket for the key Ed had given him. The front room was relatively clean. The roof was whole and there were dust covers over the furniture. He yanked one off a couch in front of a huge stone fireplace and gestured her over.

"Sit, I'll take care of the rest." She sat down, and while he was gone back to the chopper she let the tears start to fall. She heard him make several trips to the porch, and behind her, taking things into other rooms. She tried not to let him know she was crying. She was a little afraid of him right now, there was too much she didn't know.

"Shit…" She heard him say behind her. She didn't know what he was upset about so she tried to sink lower into the couch. "Omi…" He gave a deep growl and turned and stormed out the door again.

He came in with an armload of snow covered wood from a pile on the end of the porch. He built a fire, using paper from some of the bags they had brought with them to get the flames started. He wrapped a blanket around her shoulders before going back out the door to finish bringing in the supplies.

He slammed the door, as he carried in the last of the supplies.

"The chopper is tied down - wind is picking up." He said as he carried his load past the couch. She heard him in one of the other rooms of the cabin, putting things away. She stood up and followed the sounds.

"Omi get back ta the couch. I'll get dinner in a minute. I want ta get this shit put away." She picked up a box of dried pasta and looked around the small kitchen.

"I can help, Victor." She said quietly.

He turned and pulled her against his chest. She felt him shaking, but he wouldn't let her look up at him. "Please, Omi, go sit down. Doc wants you off your feet." He whispered against her hair.

"Victor, you are exhausted. Let me help." She said, her voice muffled against his shirt…the same shirt that he had worn when he dragged her out of her apartment, the same shirt that was still damp from the fall into the river…

"Omi, sit the fuck down, I will take care of this. I just fell off a fucking statue; you lost a baby for fucking crying out loud. GO SIT YOUR ASS DOWN!" He growled the last at her. She turned and ran from the room. She heard him start to follow her and then slam something down on the table.

She went back to the couch and sat down, wrapping the blanket around her. She sat and stared into the fire. Why was he doing this? Why was she even here? It wasn't like they were in some committed relationship or something. Ok, they had been seeing each other fairly regularly but he had never slept over, never left any of his things at her place, never invited her to his place – of course she thought she might understand that one now – and never a word, not even a gesture, that he might care more about her than sex.

It wasn't like she hadn't been okay with that, at first, well to be honest, until she saw that damned footage on the news. Maybe she hadn't been exactly gushing over him either. She had been casual about the sex, mostly because she hadn't wanted to scare him away, and well frankly, she really had enjoyed it. There had been no strings, well until that little white stick said positive…and she was back to where she had been at the doctor's house. Did he have the doctor do something? He had said she lost the baby, was that true?

She was smelling food in the kitchen. There was no electricity in the place the only light now was coming from the fireplace in front of her, and from a lantern he had lit in the kitchen. She didn't know how long she had been staring into the flames, her thoughts twisting along the same path. She heard him behind her, and a plate came down over her head, some kind of hash with potatoes and meat on it. She picked up the fork that was lying on the plate and started eating. He sat down on the other end of the couch, his own plate heaped high. He never said a word, just finished his dinner and waited for her to finish hers.

He took both of their plates back to the kitchen and then she heard him move to one of the back rooms. The shadows in the room changed directions and she realized he had taken the lantern with him. She heard the sound of more covers being pulled off of furniture, the sound of a mattress being flipped over and sheets being put on. He came back into the room.

"Omi you need rest. Doc said lots of sleep. I have a bed made up." He was standing behind her, she felt his hand gently on the top of her head, threading through her hair. She leaned her head back. It didn't seem like much, but it was enough for her, enough to know he had to care at least a little bit. She stood up, and started walking toward the back of the cabin. She was shaky on her feet, and he swooped in behind her and picked her up. She was tired, so tired she was asleep before he even put her on the bed.


	2. Chapter 2

Falling Stars

I don't own the Brotherhood or the X-Men and hope to God Marvel is nice to people who play in their playground…

Yes another Victor Creed fic…he's still living in my brain…

She watched him fall like a shooting star from the top of the Statue...Will it be the burning out of a dying star, or the answer to a wish...tragedy strikes...can they survive or will they burn out like the stars.

Chapter 2

Naomi woke up cold. She was alone, the blankets were covering her, but her breath was steaming out of her mouth. Her feet felt like ice cubes. She could hear him moving around in the other room. She could tell he hadn't been in the bed with her last night. She didn't know where or if he had slept at all.

"Omi, you awake?"

He opened the door. He was wearing the same clothes he had on last night, the soaked leather outfit he had been wearing when he came to her apartment.

"You haven't changed?"

"Gettin the cabin fixed. Can ya come into the living room? It's warmer, and I need ta try ta get a tarp over the roof in here, there's some bad shingles up there."

"Is the weather bad?"

"We are getting a break now, but this is goin ta be a bad one."

She climbed out of bed. She was still cramping, and sore, but she could walk, she wasn't an invalid.

"Just sit on the couch; I'll keep a fire going. We may have ta sleep in here tonight, if this blizzard gets worse."

He had one set of shudders open on one of the windows; she could watch the snow coming down thick. There was hardly any light coming in the window at all.

"What time is it?" She asked.

"Almost noon."

"This is a BREAK?"

"It was thicker this morning."

He brought her a plate from the kitchen, sausage, cold pancakes, and a hot cup of coffee. The temperature in the living room was definitely warmer than the bedroom had been. He wrapped a blanket around her and went back out the front door. She could hear him climbing around on the roof.

She felt a tear fall, down her cheek, and she wiped it away. She didn't want to think about it. What had happened was over. She was stuck in a blizzard with a man she really hardly knew, who had dragged her halfway across the country after nearly KILLING half of the city where she lived, and she was crying about a little thing like a miscarriage.

She heard him stop moving, and then move quickly down the roof. He came running in the door.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine."

"I thought...never mind." He went into the kitchen and grabbed another tarp.

"Let me know if you are in any pain…I have medication you can take that Ed sent."

"I'm fine…but – why?

"Omi, I don't have time for why. We have a roof that may not survive the load from this blizzard, I need to get it reinforced as quickly as possible, and can we deal with 'why' later?"

She watched him carry the tarps out, and heard him climb back onto the roof.

XXXXXXXXX

What the fuck. He was spreading the tarps over the damaged roof. The back bedroom wasn't going to be useable until the blizzard was over…they would be lucky if the roof didn't cave in. The front bedroom might survive; he would have to drag the mattress into the living room for her to have someplace to sleep. This was a hell of a lot of effort for a frail. He almost quit, but he remembered the smell of her tears. She'd been through enough the last few days, she didn't need to freeze to death too.

He swallowed hard, even with his healing factor the air was cold enough to make him choke, or at least that is what he told himself. He had been working all night, checking on her, making sure she was still breathing; the scent of blood was less, as her body cleansed itself. He remembered her scent hitting him through the window, the cub. He still wasn't sure he could answer her question, why? He had no fucking idea.

Why had he gone back to her place? He didn't know - he should have just taken off; she was just a frail, and a human one at that. Why had he gone in, after he checked that she was okay? He didn't know that either - she had been frantic, scared, all he had wanted to do was let her know he was okay, that he was still alive. Why hadn't he just told her he was leaving and gone? That was easy - she was his, the cub was his, and he didn't abandon what was his. Why had he dragged her with him, when he knew, even before they left the city, that there was a problem? She was his…she was…important, no she was a fucking frail, a good fuck, but that was it…he shook his head again. He was getting bad at lying, especially to himself.

Well, she didn't need to know…he'd take care of her, but he wasn't going to make a fool of himself for any frail, even her. She'd get used to things, or she wouldn't. He hadn't ever made her any promises, never given her anything more than a good time, and he wasn't going to start now. DAMN! She was fucking crying again. He forced himself to stay on the roof this time. If she was in pain, she could fucking call him, if not, he wasn't dealing with frail shit.

The entire time they were leaving the city, running across the rooftops, in the chopper, he had actually pictured the cub, what it would be like, had actually decided that he'd let her keep it, as long as it didn't drive him insane, hell, he'd even been just a little proud – proud that she was carrying his seed.

He bowed his head again…the wind was blowing sharp, his eyes kept watering. It was the blowing snow, it wasn't the cub. He kept trying to put the memory of that room at Ed's, the scent of death…the twist that ripped through his chest, he had been tired, that was it – tired. It wasn't the cub. It couldn't be the cub.

There wasn't much more he could do up here, the roof would either hold or not. He knew the roof over the living room was fairly sound, and should hold until he could get better supplies up here. He climbed back down from the roof, the wind was picking up again, and the snow was so thick it even he couldn't see very far. This was a dangerous storm, even he could get lost in this, and he wouldn't let her get out in it at all.

He stomped the snow loose from his boots and shook off his duster before going into the house. At least they wouldn't have to worry about water much, they could always melt snow. She was still sitting on the couch, the blanket on the floor. He could smell the stew he had started in the kitchen, it would be ready soon, and they would have dinner. He went into the bedroom and pulled the mattress out.

"Victor…why?"

"I told ya I don't have time for that. You can't sleep in the bedroom, the roof isn't safe."

"That's what I was asking?"

"Oh..."

"Victor…you need to change, get some rest. I'm fine. We can both stay warm in here."

"I don't get cold."

"Victor, please, get some rest."

"Dinner's almost ready; I'll rest while I eat. There's still work that needs ta be done."

"Victor, I can help…" She said as she started to get up off the couch.

"NO…Ed told you to REST. SIT YOUR ASS DOWN!" He roared, expecting her to wilt and obey.

"REST doesn't mean stay in one spot. IT MEANS TAKE IT EASY!" She yelled back, standing on her feet, hands on her hips. Her eyes were flashing, he couldn't ever remember seeing her angry. He leaned in, trying to physically intimidate her.

"I SAID SIT YOUR ASS DOWN!"

"NO!"

He reached out, planning to shove her down onto the couch, but found himself pulling her close against him. He leaned down and kissed her, hard and demanding, and was shocked to find her responding, her hands gripping his ruined leather tunic, her tongue warring with his for control.

"DAMN IT, FRAIL! Sit your fuckin ass down." He was looking down at her, flashes of memories trailing across the back of his eyelids. He knew exactly what she looked like naked, exactly what spots to touch, to caress to drive her insane, and having her this close made him want to forget Ed's instructions and just take her. Instead he pushed her back onto the couch.

"I am not a fucking invalid."

"Ya might as well be, now do what the fuckin doctor said or I am throwin ya out in that storm. I don't need this frail shit." He'd keep her off balance, she'd figure things out eventually, but not for a while, not before he managed to get things under control, set up the way he wanted them.

"You wouldn't do that, not after all the effort to bring me here." SHIT! This wasn't going according to plan.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" He stormed out of the living room. He didn't want to listen to her, if she said the wrong thing, he'd spill everything, as angry as he was, and he wasn't going to let ANYONE know just how weak - how soft - how fucking FRAIL he was right now.

XXXXXXXXXXX

He checked the back rooms; the roof in the back bedroom was showing the tarp. He grabbed the mattress off the frame and hauled it into the hallway. If the roof collapsed, he wasn't going to let it get ruined. The bathroom was off the living room, and that roof was fairly sound. The front bedroom he was still worried about collapse. She'd just have to sleep in the living room. He moved back into the kitchen. He was a little concerned about the roof in here if the load became too heavy, but there wasn't anything he could do until the storm passed. This blizzard was heavy, very heavy. He stood there stirring the stew and listened to the howling wind outside. There wasn't going to be much that they could do, not until this passed. If things were different he could think of a hundred ways to pass the time, but with things the way they were, this was going to be a long storm.

He filled two bowls with stew and carried them into the living room. She didn't look at him, just took the bowl and spoon and ate quietly. He sat on the other end of the couch, trying to eat, but every bite caught in his throat.

"Omi…this storm's not gonna blow out any time soon."

"Oh…"

"You need ta sleep, as much as ya can."

"Victor, I am not tired, just a little sore, let me help."

"There ain't much ta help with now. Not til the storm blows out."

She stared into the fire, giving him the opportunity to watch her. Her eyes were puffy and red. She gripped the blanket around her, as if it were some form of protection. She wasn't afraid, he'd smell that, but there was something disturbing her.

"Omi…"

"What exactly did the doctor say?"

"What?"

"Victor, what did he say?"

"That you might be in pain, the…it wasn't far enough ta cause any damage, and it would probably be like a heavy cycle - whatever that means – and you needed ta get rest, lots of rest. He also said you probably wouldn't be up ta any…activity for a week or so, at least."

"Victor…let me translate that for you…The pregnancy wasn't far enough along that I am actually HURT. The doctor meant that I will have a heavy period for a bit, and then be back to fairly normal. I am sure the only activity he was talking about was SEX, Victor, which means I am able to HELP around the house."

"He said REST."

"Rest…I understand that, be careful, don't over do, but it DOESN'T mean sitting on my butt on the couch. For one thing, I need to get SOME exercise, for another thing, I REALLY could use to go to the DAMNED bathroom."

"I DIDN'T tell you not ta go ta the fuckin bathroom, Omi…I just…FUCK IT, do what the hell you want, if ya die on me, I'll bury you out back."

She stood up, and walked back to the bathroom. He watched her, she was trembling a little, but steady on her feet.

XXXXXXXXXX

She was so mad she wanted to KILL him! DIE ON HIM! BURY HER OUT BACK! Who the FUCK did he think he was! She stopped, staring at herself in the mirror. He thought he was Sabretooth, one of the Brotherhood of mutants, and she was trapped here. She couldn't fly a helicopter and they were miles from anywhere. She sat on the top of the toilet seat. She remembered the last time she had seen him.

"_Hey…Victor, I have good steaks for dinner…and coals for the hibachi – you staying?"_

_"I shouldn't…Omi, I have work…Naa. Work can wait." He grinned at her, that almost predatory grin that said they would have a very interesting evening._

_They walked to the elevator, and he managed to keep his hands to himself until the doors closed. He pulled her against his chest as soon as they were alone, his lips demanding her body respond to him._

_"Omi…can we just forget dinner…I would rather just skip to dessert."_

_"You are evil, Vic…but…" Neither one of them said much after that. They managed to get to her door, and get it open, but once inside he had just picked her up and carried her to the bedroom. It had been almost four before he left that night, almost as if he hadn't wanted to leave._

_"Omi…I…" He was sitting on the side of the bed, pulling his shirt over his head._

_"Victor you don't have to say anything. I'll see you tomorrow."_

_"I won't be there. I have ta go out of town…business. Not sure how long I'll be gone. A month or so."_

_"Oh…" _

_"I called Yellow Cab; they'll pick ya up at the door of your building, every day, and drop ya here. They are gonna bill it ta my account."_

_"Vic…you don't have to do that. I am just fine walking home."_

_"I have told ya a hundred time, YA AIN'T WALKIN THROUGH THE PARK ALONE!"_

_"Fine. I'll take the cab."_

_"Her's my cell number. Don't call unless it's an emergency, I ain't sure I'll have service where I am goin."_

_"Ok…can I just call to hear your voice…?"_

_"If ya do, leave a message that you are okay."_

_"Alright…you have my number…call me if you can."_

_"Omi…gonna miss ya." He had leaned over and kissed her before standing up and walking out of the room. She heard him quietly close the front door._

"Omi…you okay in there?"

"Fine…" She stood up and walked out. He was stoking the fire in the fireplace. There were clean sheets and blankets on the mattress in front of it. She went back to her spot on the couch.

"Omi…you should try ta get some sleep."

"I told you…"

"Quit fuckin arguin with me."

"Quit FUCKING BOSSING ME AROUND!"

"FRAIL!!!" He roared, but she stood her ground. She had been thinking about all of this since they left the city. He wouldn't hurt her; he had gone to too much trouble to bring her here, to get her medical attention, to make sure she was warm and safe. Right now he was all bluster, she didn't know how she knew, but she did. Maybe it was his eyes…when he was really intense about something, especially in bed, they went all black, and right now they were their usual soft brown.

"VICTOR! YOU OWE ME – OWE ME AN EXPLAINATION AT LEAST!"

"FUCKIN' HELL! You want an explanation, fine…you'll get one, but ya won't like it."

"I doubt that."

"You're mine. I don't give up what's mine easily. It's that simple."

"WHAT!"

"Ya heard me…I don't owe you shit, cuz I own ya."

"Bite me, Vic…that's bullshit and you know it."

"Watch what you ask for, frail..." He gave her that look - the predatory one.

"Frail… what the fuck is that?"

"YOU!"

"Excuse me…?"

"You…well all you damned frails - women, human women in particular, most of ya can't hold up under pressure…you have held up better than most."

"What does that mean?"

"I'm sick of this…get some fuckin sleep."

"I don't care if you are sick of it. YOU dragged my ass up here; YOU are responsible for all of this. I don't even know if I really lost the baby or if you had that backwoods quack do something…so you can take that – macho 'I own you' – shit and SHOVE IT UP YOUR ASS!"

She stood up, shouting straight up into his face. She had finally had enough.

"FUCKIN HELL…You don't know… FUCK. SIT YOUR FUCKIN ASS DOWN!"

"NO!"

He grabbed her arms and shook her. "Listen, you…" He snarled low in his throat, a very animal sound. His eyes were pitch black, and she felt the indentations from his sharp nails start to dig into her skin, and then pierce, she gave a small moan of protest and pain.

"Let go of me." She tried to pull away from him, but his nails – no claws – dug deeper into her upper arms.

"When this storm is over, I'll take ya back ta Ed. He'll tell ya…you were already in the middle of the miscarriage when we got there. FUCK! The only reason I even brought ya was I didn't want anyone hurtin ya – or the cub – because of me." He was snarling, right in her face, and suddenly he crushed his lips to hers. His mouth was harsh, demanding, his sharp fangs cutting her lips, her tongue as she tried to respond. If nothing else, he knew exactly what set her off.

"Vic…" She whispered, when she could speak again. "I'm sorry. I just…it was so confusing…"

"Omi…don't make me…don't… I can't afford ta go soft, so don't expect me ta pick flowers or crap like that…I am what I am…if ya can't take that, you're screwed." He pulled her against his chest. Somehow she knew that was as close as she was going to get to an apology from him.

"I think I can take you as you are…as long as you can take me as I am – and quit treating me like a fucking invalid."

"Fine…a little help would be nice…especially since I don't cook worth shit…"

"In other words, you want me to cook."

"Yeah…"

"Idiot…"

"Enough of that, frail…"

"Tell you what…I'll stop calling you an idiot, you stop calling me frail…and we'll call it even."

"Fine…but you still need sleep."

"You still need to change clothes."

"I'll change, if you'll lie down."

"I'll lie down…if you lie down and get some rest…"

"I don't need rest."

"Bullshit."

"I have somethin called a healing factor…I don't need as much rest."

"I don't care…you fell off a fucking statue, swam to shore, dragged me halfway across the rooftops of New York, flew us out of there, dragged me to a doctor, loaded up supplies while I was OUT…carried ME out of there and flew us up here, unloaded everything, got me settled, and THEN went out in a fucking blizzard to fix the fucking roof….YOU NEED SLEEP!"

"You left out arguing with an annoying frai…woman."

"In other words, I'm right and you are tired and need sleep."

He just growled, and let her go. She curled back up on the couch, and he went into the front bedroom. She heard him banging around in there for a few moments and then the bathroom door close. He came back out and grabbed one of the bottles of water and went back in. He came out a little while later, an old pair of jeans and sweatshirt in the place of the ruined leather outfit he had been wearing.

"Better?"

"Much…now get some rest."

"WOMAN! You are goin ta have ta learn how things work around here… I give the fuckin orders."

"Ok…Victor, you look tired, and I really need to get some sleep…would you hold me till I go to …."

"ENOUGH! I liked it better the other way…none of that soft SHIT!"

"OK…GET YOUR ASS OVER HERE AND GET IN BED! I need some sleep and you are keeping me up." She stood up and walked to the mattress, slipping under the blankets. "And a fucking pillow."

He snorted…but climbed under the blankets next to her, she rolled over and put her head on his chest. "Go to sleep, Woman…" His lips gently brushed the top of her head. She closed her eyes, his breathing and the quiet pop of the fire lulled her to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Falling Stars

I don't own the Brotherhood or the X-Men and hope to God Marvel is nice to people who play in their playground…

Yes another Victor Creed fic…he's still living in my brain…

Chapter 3

In spite of his fears, the roof held. He woke up spooned against Omi's back, one arm thrown over her waist, the other under her head as a pillow. Her breath was soft against his forearm, and her hair was tickling his nose. He fought a grin; this was a whole new experience for him, waking up with a woman in his arms. He tried to decide how he was going to wake her up when she moved just a little and the circulation returned to his arm. He hissed as the skin tingled. FUCK!

"You alright?" She asked, her voice sleep drunk.

"No…my arm's asleep." He grumbled at her.

"Sorry." She moved so that her head was on the pillow under his arm. He growled and scooted her back into place.

"Didn't tell ya ta move." He lay there listening to the howling wind outside. He should get up, put some wood on the fire, check the storm, start some breakfast, but all he wanted to do was lay there on that mattress, where it was warm. He'd be damned if he'd even let himself THINK anything soft, but it was warm and there wasn't anything else to do until the storm blew itself out.

She started to squirm under his arm. "Be still." He'd almost dozed back off, too.

"I need to go to the bathroom…"

"Oh…Hurry back; I don't want ta get cold."

He'd be damned if she didn't look back at him and stick her tongue out. Damned frail needed to learn some respect…later. He threw the blankets back and set some paper to catch on the coals in the fire place. The smoke backed into the house, not a good sign.

"Damn it…Guess I'll be gettin cold after all…Snow's blocked the chimney. Gonna have ta go up and clear it."

"Want me to start breakfast?"

"Only if the stove pipe in the kitchen is still warm. If not, I'll have ta clear that too." He watched her walk through the door to the kitchen.

"It's still warm…fire was banked well, I'll see if I can get it going without backing up the pipe." Well, she knew how to use a wood burning stove. That was a plus. "This pipe's clear, I'm going to start some coffee. You are going to need it if you are going up on the roof."

Maybe the frail WOULD be nice to have around. He smelled fresh coffee brewing in no time. He could hear her going through the supplies he had brought from Ed's. He climbed out of the bed and opened the shutters on the front window. The snow had drifted up but there was still some light coming in, and he could see snow blowing between the top of the drift and the porch roof.

He pulled on his duster, the sweats and jeans would work for clearing the chimney top. His boots were still damp from yesterday, but he pulled them on anyway. The door slammed open as a gust of wind ripped it from his hand.

"You okay?" She asked from the kitchen door.

"I'm good. Get some breakfast cookin woman…We are gonna need ta keep our bellies full."

She just laughed and went back to the kitchen. _Yep, gonna have ta teach her some respect…later._ He thought with a grin. He pulled the door closed behind him and reached up to grab the top of the eaves, pulling himself up between the top of the drift and the roofline.

It was hazardous going, making his way to the chimney…the snow was so thick he couldn't tell where the roof was safe and where it was just covered by a tarp. As soon as this snow was cleared, he was going to have to get this roof in shape. He finally reached the lump that was the top of the chimney. The snow pack was at least two feet, but it took no time to brush it off and make sure the stack was clear. He was going to have to keep a fire going at all times to keep this from blocking up again. He stood up, and looked around at the sky.

There wasn't much light, and he couldn't tell how big the storm was. If it didn't break soon, they were going to have to start digging tunnels. He carefully made his way back down to the roofline, and dropped onto the old porch. It wasn't looking good.

"How's the storm?' She asked as he came in the door.

"Still blowin…not sure how much longer it's gonna keep it up either. It's almost as dark as night out there." He knelt at the fireplace, getting the coals to catch the pieces of paper. The smoke went up the chimney instead of out into the room. At least they could keep warm. He built the fire up.

"I'm gonna have ta get more wood in. The pile on the porch might last a day, less if we are gonna have ta keep both fires banked ta keep the vents clear."

"How do you plan on doing that? Those drifts are four feet high."

"I don't know yet. If it were just me, I'd just hunker down and wait it out, but you can't do that, and I ain't plannin on you dyin any time soon."

"Breakfast is almost ready…" Her voice was soft, something he had come to associate with her fear.

"Omi…I ain't gonna let ya die up here." He said finally. "Your mine and I take care of what is mine." He turned and looked back at the fire.

XXXXXXXXXX

She stood there staring at the bacon in the skillet. **HIS** - who the hell did he think he was? She didn't belong to anyone; she wasn't some piece of property. She didn't have any place to go, any way out of this situation at the moment, but she would be watching for her chance.

Who the hell was she kidding? She wouldn't go anywhere. She thought about what he said…and how she had felt as he said it. It had sent a thrill through her – HIS. She belonged, if nothing else, she finally found a place that was hers. She pulled the bacon out and scrambled up the last of the eggs. This storm needed to end soon. They were going to run out of food. She still hadn't told him about opening the back door, and pulling in some of the snow for water…there had been no roofline, just snow drift.

The food was ready by the time he came stomping back into the house.

"How's the storm?"

"Startin to blow out; I'll start diggin a path out to the chopper and clearing it as soon as the snow stops. We will probably be stuck in a couple more days though."

He grabbed a plate and started piling it up. "Is this the last of the eggs?"

"Yes."

"There's enough canned food for a couple days. We'll get by, Omi."

"I'm not worried about getting by."

"Damn it…I ain't in the mood." He grabbed his plate and fork and went into the living room.

"Mood for what?"

"Your frail shit. There ain't no help for the situation, as soon as I can, I'll get us out, worryin about it ain't gonna help."

"Victor, are you okay…I didn't say I was worried. I trust you. You'll take care of us." She carried her own plate into the living room and sat on the couch.

"Omi…I just ain't used ta havin someone in my space."

"You are the one who dragged me up here."

"I KNOW! I wasn't thinkin…I certainly didn't plan on this damned storm."

"Victor, what would you do if I wasn't here?"

"Sleep – read – play solitaire – take care of what needed ta be done."

"Ok…and what's stopping you from doing that now?"

"YOU!"

"You don't have to entertain me. Point me to a book; I'll get out of the way. I play a mean game of poker, and well rest is on the doctor's orders, right?"

"That ain't what I meant…Damn it, woman. I WANT you…GOT IT!"

"Ohhhh…well, there are things we could do about that, too." She grinned.

"No, there aren't. Ed said no sex for at least a week, and, hell…Omi, what the fuck are you doing." The last was said as she slipped up against him on the couch and let her hand slide down between his thighs, working her way up against the hard bulge at their peak.

"Umm, there's nothing wrong with either my hands or my mouth, Victor." She said with a very knowing grin. She knew just how much he enjoyed both.

"OMI!" He moaned as he set his plate down on the floor. "DAMN! That feels good." He leaned his head back as she massaged his growing erection through his jeans. "Fuck, if you are gonna do that…at least let me feel you…not these damned jeans." She reached up and unbuttoned the top of his jeans. He moaned as some of the pressure was released. Neither one of them said much for quite a while.

XXXXXXXXX

Damn, she was full of surprises. He was certain she had been mad; when he told her she was his, and then that display on the couch…he had to admit it had helped. It was never as good as being inside her, but it came close. They had ended up back on the mattress, curled up, her head resting on his chest. He had been surprised when she had gone to sleep.

She had surprised him several times. She knew her way around a wood stove, he already knew she was a good cook, her spirit of adventure had been one of the things that had drawn him to her in the first place, and it applied to every aspect of her life, especially sex, but she wasn't cowering, she wasn't afraid. They were snowed in, one of the worst blizzards he had ever seen, in his entire life, and she wasn't afraid. She trusted him. It was a strange feeling for him…she trusted him.

Frails usually didn't TRUST him…fear him – yes, lust after him – sometimes, hate him – definitely, but trust him – never. Yet here she was, curled against his side, her head resting on his chest, his arm wrapped around her waist, sound asleep. He looked over and saw the fire starting to die.

"Omi, I need ta build the fire up."

She just muttered in her sleep and rolled away. He grinned, as he looked back over his shoulder, her hair was tousled, her lips swollen and bruised, and she was grinning in her sleep. He hadn't even touched her…ok well maybe his hands in her hair for a while, but that was it. He turned back and threw another log on the fire, then stretched his back, and he heard a chuckle behind him.

"I can see why you are named for a cat." She was grinning at him

"Shut up, woman and go back ta sleep. I'm gonna go take a leak." She chuckled and snuggled deeper under the covers. She had been right…there were other things they could do to entertain themselves…and he had been very entertained.

He went into the kitchen after he was done in the bathroom. He picked up a bucket and filled it with snow from the back porch. The house was warm enough now, that the snow pack had them insulated, that the snow was melting in the toilet tank. He dumped the bucket in the tank after he flushed, and left it by the toilet.

He was worried about the drift in the back. It was up to the top of the cabin. He didn't know how bad it was on the roof. The kitchen roof wouldn't hold much strain, he just hoped when things started melting, the leaks weren't too bad. He opened a can of soup and stoked the fire in the stove. They were going to have to keep both fires going to keep the air flow in the house clear.

He went back into the living room and looked out the front door. The snow was finally stopping, but it was over four feet high in front of the house. There was still a gap in the drifts, so they would get fresh air flow. He would start digging them out in the morning. He reached into his duster and pulled out his last cigar. Yep, he'd have to dig them out, he was going to go nuts without a smoke.


	4. Chapter 4

Falling Stars

I don't own the Brotherhood or the X-Men and hope to God Marvel is nice to people who play in their playground…

Yes another Victor Creed fic…he's still living in my brain…

Chapter 4

The snow stopped sometime in the night. The roof was groaning a little from the weight but was still holding. He lay there, her body spooned against his chest, the room was warm, and he was warmer covered with the blankets, and her body against his. He didn't want to move, but the snow wasn't going to wait. He tried to slip out of bed without waking her.

"Victor."

"Go back to sleep. I'm gonna throw a log on the fire and start tryin ta dig us out of this mess."

"Want me to start some coffee and something for breakfast?"

"If you want, I ain't hungry yet."

"You will be after shoveling snow."

"Woman…quit your fussin." He growled at her. He was disappointed when she did. He shrugged his shoulders. He didn't need a frail fussing over him anyway. He went into the bathroom, then back out to the front room. She was in the kitchen, hot coffee started on the stove, breakfast started, and a smile on her face.

He grumbled at her, and went to the door. His duster was hanging on a hook on the fire place and he knew he hadn't put it there. It would be nice and warm to put on, and he almost let out a little moan of pleasure as he slipped his arms into it. Going out in that snow was NOT something he wanted to do.

He opened the front door, and looked out. It was still overcast, which was probably a good thing, snow blind was not something he wanted to worry about this morning. He had a shovel on the porch, but wanted to get a good look at what things looked like. He climbed up onto the roof and looked around. The storm must have blown in from the south; the entire back of the house was one huge drift. The front wasn't as bad, and clearing the chopper wouldn't be as bad as he thought. It was halfway clear now; the wind had done half his work for him.

He thought about where his snowshoes were. If he could get to the chopper there might be enough fuel left to clear the front yard with the downdraft, save him the work. He thought they might be in the bedroom closet. He started to drop back down onto the porch when he heard the sound of a chopper. He looked around, spotting a small, unmarked bird flying his direction. He ducked down, and then noticed the front light was flashing…flashing the signal, the one they had arranged if they got separated. He stood and waved to the bird, signaling the pilot to hover over the yard of the cabin. He ducked back down, and into the house.

"Omi, we got guests…throw on some extra food." He said, as the chopper got louder. He leaned against the door, to prevent it being blown inward as the downdraft cleared the yard. When the blades stopped turning and he could open the door, he looked out, cautiously. The drifts were down to a manageable level, and their chopper was cleared. He stood there, waiting for the pilot to climb out.

"Hey, you left me there, you big dumbass…" The green skinned mutant shouted as he climbed out of the bird.

He held in the grin as Mortimer gave him hell. He was actually glad to see the green Toad.

"I had ta find another bird, get a GPS tracker to track our bird and you had to drag me out in the middle of this frozen wasteland. What the fuck were you thinking?" He stomped up onto the porch.

"Mort…I waited, you didn't show, and I had…things ta take care of." He stood on the porch, arms crossed, waiting to see if Mort was going to cause problems or not.

"Well she better be a looker…" Mort teased; and then his jaw dropped as Victor heard the door open behind him.

"How many am I cooking for? And the coffee is ready…nice job…didn't know you could dig that fast, Victor."

"Get back inside, Woman." He snarled over his shoulder.

"Hi, I'm Naomi, ignore the snarling grouch." She said, slipping past him, holding out her hand to Mort.

"Naomi. Mortimer. Nice ta meet ya." Mort took her hand and shook it.

"I am afraid its corned beef and canned potatoes for breakfast…if you are hungry?"

"Starved."

She grinned at the toad, and he felt a tightening in his chest. Mort better keep his fucking hands to himself.

He growled as she went back inside, and grabbed Toad's arm as he went by.

"Hands off. She's mine."

"Ain't that up ta her?"

"NO!"

"Mr. Possessive, that's cute…and she is a looker. I can ALMOST forgive you for leaving me."

"Ass."

"Jerk."

They walked into the cabin, the smell of corned beef hash greeting them.

"So, how much fuel is in that thing, we need some supplies."

"Enough to make a run to town, later…has cargo pods too, as long as you don't need too much."

"Good, we need some food, more fuel for our chopper, and some supplies to shore up the roof."

"Sounds like a plan…so is she a good cook."

"Yeah…as I said, hands off."

"Right, got it…but, - well – until I hear from Myst or Magnet Head, I ain't got anyplace else ta go, and want ta make sure I can at least eat well."

"Eating is fine…the rest, is mine."

"Tooth, if I didn't know you better, I'd say you actually cared." He said as he went into the kitchen. Victor suppressed a cringe. Omi would learn to take Mort with a grain of salt, she'd have to.

"Omi, Mort and I are going into town later for supplies. There's fuel in his chopper for a run. I want ta try ta get the roof cleared and repaired while there is a break in the weather."

"Could you pick me up some laundry soap, so I can get some things cleaned up? I am not too worried about water with the snow." She said as she heaped two plates and handed them to the men. Victor took his and grabbed a fork and sat on the bench at the table. Mortimer took his as well. She fixed herself a plate and sat next to Victor. He gave her a nod, and continued eating.

"So, where're ya from?" Mort asked around a mouthful of food.

"New York." She replied.

"What do you do?"

"I am…was a secretary."

"No, I meant what do you … DO?"

"I don't understand."

"She's normal, Mort."

"NORMAL!"

He growled at the Toad. "Yeah…got a problem with it?"

"Not if you don't."

"Good."

"Boss might…"

"Boss can kiss my ass. My personal life ain't none of his business."

"Tooth, you and personal life are not two things I think of in the same sentence."

"Fuck you, Toad."

He finished his plate and handed it to Omi. She set it next to hers and went back to eating.

"Good breakfast." Mort said stretching as he stood up.

"You have dishes, frog boy."

"WHAT!"

"I need ta talk ta Omi…get it cleaned up before we leave."

He gripped her elbow and led her out of the kitchen.

"Be careful around Toad, he's ok, but a pain in my ass, and can get too handsy with the frails. If he gives you any problems let me know." He gave a low growl. "I'll gut him."

"He seems nice." She said, but he frowned at her.

"I'm serious, Omi, I don't want him thinkin he can grab ya or somethin. You are MINE!"

"That's sweet, but I CAN take care of myself, I did live in New York city my entire life."

"OMI!"

"Vic, I'll be fine."

He pulled her roughly against his chest. "Just stay in the cabin while we are gone. The yard is clear, but the rest of the forest ain't and you could get lost out there. I don't want ta have ta waste time tryin ta find ya."

"Does that mean you'd waste time…instead of finding me when the snow melted?"

"DAMN it woman." He tightened his arms around her. He would never tell her just how much that thought gave him a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Toad was shrugging back into his parka. "Damn, I hate goin back out there. It's nice and warm in here. I HATE the cold."

"I'll keep it warm."

"I am sure you do…you are just lucky I'm a sound sleeper. Don't have ta worry about waking me up."

"SHUT UP!" He growled at the green mutant.

"Fine! Let's go stock this place up. I want to get back and get warm." Victor followed Mort to the chopper.

XXXXXXXXXX

She went into the kitchen; Mortimer had washed up all the dishes. She gathered up all the dry dishes and put them on the shelves above the stove. She stoked up the fire in the stove and banked it with a couple larger logs to keep the pipe clear and went back into the living room. She went through and pulled all the drop cloths of the rest of the furniture and folded them neatly. There was a small closet near the door and she piled them inside. She thought about dusting but there wouldn't be any use until after the roof was fixed.

She went through the closets. She found a couple pairs of snowshoes, and an old handmade bow. She remembered her lessons hunting with her dad and pulled down the bow and arrows. If nothing else she could get it in shape, and it would give her something to do while the men were gone.

The wood needed oiled, the string was actually in good shape, it had been packed in an oiled pouch and stayed flexible and strong. The arrows weren't in bad shape, handmade with feather fletching; there were enough heavy pieces of plastic in the food packaging that she could make plastic fletching for them. By the time the chopper landed in the front yard she had the bow at least where she could string and draw it. She put it up and went out to help unload the supplies. They had dropped a pallet of shingles and plywood under the chopper, the blades finally stopped spinning and she went to help unload the cargo pods.

"Omi get back in the house."

"Vic, I'm fine. I can help."

"Omi, we are going to clear the roof with the choppers, I need ya back inside ta let me know when the tarps start moving. Here's a radio."

"Oh."

"Damn it, woman, I got the fuckin point. You are gonna help, so do what you are fuckin told and quit arguin."

"Fine!" She went back into the house. She heard both helicopters spin up and then the house started to shake.

"Vic, the tarp over the kitchen is showing light…and the bathroom."

A few seconds later the tarp over the back bedroom flew off. "BACK OFF…the back room is uncovered." She heard the helicopters land, and a few minutes later both men came back into the house.

"Ok, at least we can SEE what needs ta be done. Grab a hammer, Toad. We got a roof ta fix."

"Righto." They both went back outside.

"Omi…in the cargo pod…I picked up some roasted chickens, already cooked. Thought we'd be easy for dinner. If you want ta throw somethin together with them, Mort and I are going to be on the roof the rest of the afternoon. We need ta get this fixed. There's another big storm heading this way, according to the radio in town." He climbed up onto the roof of the porch. She went out to the cargo pods on the smaller chopper.

Two roasted chickens, and plenty of groceries. She started unloading them. He even remembered laundry soap and eggs. She finished putting the groceries away and went out the back door. The drift was gone…she was going to have to go looking for snow to melt. She found a clean drift not far from the back of the house and filled the two metal buckets from the kitchen. Laundry was going to be a priority. Victor had only packed her two outfits and with wearing clothing all day and all night to keep warm, she was going to need to keep things clean. She hauled the buckets back and set them both on top of the stove to melt.

She heard the hammers working on the roof, the tarp over the kitchen was pulled back and a green face looked down at her.

"What's cookin?"

"Laundry." She grinned up at him.

"That reminds me, left cargo pod, Vic picked up some things for ya."

"Thanks."

She waited for the water to melt, and heat up. Vic had some things that needed washed, there was a small pile in the bathroom of dirty laundry, and she washed it all up, including towels. She found a piece of rope and hung a drying line near the fireplace in the living room.

She could hear teasing conversation going on above her and for the first time since they had arrived at the cabin, she could tell Vic was relaxing. She was beginning to wonder if he was regretting bringing her out here.

She went out to the chopper after finishing hanging the laundry to dry, inside the left cargo pod were bags. She took them inside, and started to unload what was inside. There were jeans and bags of T-shirts for Mortimer, some new clothes for Vic and … several bags with new things for her, including a dress…why the hell was she going to need a dress out here. There was three new pair of jeans some sweaters and new underwear as well. In another bag were sleep things, pants and T shirts, so she didn't have to wear the same day clothes at night. He even bought warm socks because he knew her feet got cold. She smiled. Maybe he wasn't regretting it after all.


	5. Chapter 5

Falling Stars

I don't own the Brotherhood or the X-Men and hope to God Marvel is nice to people who play in their playground…

Yes another Victor Creed fic…he's still living in my brain…

Chapter 5

Dinner was simple, and with Mort there, conversation was easy. Omi sat quietly, listening to the two men exchange barbs and banter, hiding her laughter in her cup when one or the other managed a stinging verbal blow.

"Think this is funny, do ya frail." Vic growled at her.

"Sure do, idiot." She replied. He glared at her, snarling.

"Get ta bed, woman. It's going to be a long day tomorrow." He growled at her. She just smiled and left the dishes to Mortimer.

She could hear them talking quietly.

"Tooth, that's some woman you have there. Surely someone will miss her." Mort was saying.

"Nope. 'Sides if they did, they'd never look here. She's mine, and that's the way it's gonna stay." She heard him slam down the metal cup on the table.

"I wasn't saying she wasn't, or that they would, just that she's going to be missed eventually."

"What's your point, Toad?"

"Just that you need to be careful, that's all. We are dead, as far as the authorities are concerned, which is fine with me, but if you keep going into town, with a missing woman with you, SOMEONE is going to get suspicious."

"Toad…leave it for now, ok. Let's get through the damned snow, before we worry about other problems."

She quietly got up from the mattress and went back toward the bathroom.

"One thing at a time, huh…that's why I miss Myst and Magnet head…they plan ahead."

"I didn't kidnap her, ok."

"I didn't say you did."

"He didn't, Mortimer." She said quietly from the doorway of the kitchen.

"I'm just sayin…someone is going to report you missing and then they will come looking for you and that will be problems for us."

"As soon as I can get into town and make a phone call I can fix all of that." She said quietly. Victor looked up at her, snarling.

"Who are you goin' ta call?"

"My Dad, for one, he will get worried if I don't call him soon. I probably need to call work and quit, so they don't get too concerned. That's the only people I can think of who might miss me." She said quietly.

"Next time we go into town, you are going too. You can get those calls made. Just tell them you decided you needed…."

"Victor…I'll tell them what I feel they need to know. Just because you dragged my ass up here and are pulling this big huge macho 'she's mine' crap doesn't mean I need you to THINK for me. GOD help me if I ever let THAT happen." Mortimer snorted as he rinsed the dishes.

"WOMAN!"

"Go roar at someone else. I'm going to bed." She turned and grabbed some of the new sleep wear and went into the bathroom to change. She heard loud noises and cursing from the front room and laughed.

"WHY the HELL are there clothes hanging across the living room, FRAIL?" He shouted

"To DRY, IDIOT." She shouted back through the door, pulling the T-shirt over her head. The oversized pair of men's flannel pajama bottoms were baggy enough to be comfortable and warm enough that she didn't think she would have to worry about freezing in them.

She heard him pacing outside the door to the bathroom. She opened it and glared at him. "WHAT!"

He didn't say a word, just pulled her roughly against his chest. She let him hold her for a few moments before she slipped her arms around his waist and returned the rough embrace.

"I didn't know you had any family." He said softly.

"It never came up." She said.

"The roof should be finished in the morning, and we will be able to use the back rooms." He said as he let go of her, guiding her back to the mattress on the floor in the living room. Mortimer was stretched out on the couch, snoring. She smiled at the green skinned mutant. He definitely made things interesting around here.

Victor pulled her down with him onto the mattress; she snuggled against his side, laying her head on his shoulder. He draped his arm across her back and pulled her against his side.

"Get some sleep, woman." He growled.

She didn't feel like arguing, she just closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep, his deep breathing a quiet song in her ear.

XXXXXXXXXX

He lay there awake. She was curled against his side, her head on his chest, snoring. He smiled at that. He liked having her here with him, like this. Sex was great, but…this was something else. He didn't want to think about it too much, it came too close to those frail things he tried to avoid. Of course he liked it, she belonged to him, and it was where she belonged.

He looked down at her sleeping face. How the HELL had he let her get so close? She was HUMAN for fuck's sake – his HUMAN and everyone else could be damned. He looked over at Mort. The green jerk was right…he hadn't thought this through. She had family who would miss her; her job would be looking for her, which would mean the cops would get involved. FUCK! There was no way in hell he was letting her go, so they would just have to take her from his cold dead claws. If Mort didn't like it, well he knew where the damned door was and not to let it hit him on the way out.

He glanced over to the banked fire; it would keep them warm tonight. Ed was taking care of getting some of the bigger supplies they needed, like a generator. He and Mort planned on going in tomorrow to pick them up. A generator and pump would help once the well thawed. He had plumbing installed; he just needed a pump to get it working. There was no central heat, but once the cabin was back in shape, it stayed warm even in the coldest of winters. Ed was trying to find them a small refrigerator but with the cold they wouldn't need it for a while.

He thought about what Ed had said earlier.

"_Sometimes the best thing for a woman after something like this is for things to get back to normal as quickly as possible. Don't push, but don't hold back if she wants to resume normal activities in a couple days." Ed looked over at him loading the cargo pod._

"_A couple days…Doc she just lost a fucking cub…?" He growled. He knew human doctors could be insensitive but shit!_

"_Victor, she wasn't far enough along to cause any serious damage. There is no real injury to heal, more emotional than physical at this point, and since YOU are the father, that's YOUR job." The old doctor had chuckled all the way back into his house. Victor grumbled as Toad loaded the other pod._

"_YOU deal with emotional crap…I am going to enjoy watching this."_

He had been silent the entire flight back. He didn't deal with emotions. That was frail crap. She would just have to deal…he felt her curl closer against him, and shifted so that she was almost on top of him. Her arm draped over his chest and he felt her mumble in her sleep. He glanced over at Mort, who was snoring loudly. He could feel her body tensing, and could tell she was slipping into a nightmare. He didn't want to wake her up…he glanced around the room, trying to find something that might calm her down.

He felt her fingers gently trace down his side, almost petting him and he let out a soft purr. He felt her body relax against him a bit. He glared at the green Toad on the couch, and hoped to hell he didn't wake up. Victor let himself purr softly, hoping that only she could hear him. He felt her body relax, the nightmare driven away, and his soft purring eventually eased him to sleep as well.

The next morning he woke up to a grinning Toad over his face.

"Did I hear you PURR last night?" Victor reached up and grabbed his throat with his free arm. The other one was under Omi, and it and she were both still sound asleep. He wasn't looking forward to the pins and needles when she moved…and then she did. His sharp intake of breath as the blood returned to his arm caused her to sit up.

"Victor, let Mort go." She grumbled rubbing her sleep filled eyes. Mortimer's eyes were popping out of his head and he was clutching Victor's claw at his throat, trying to get a breath.

"You were saying, Toad?" Vic said as he released the green skinned mutant.

"N-n-nothin…." He choked out.

"Good. We have a roof to finish." He started to climb out of bed, his arm still slightly numb from where she had been sleeping against it. He was going to have to find a more comfortable way for them to sleep. His healing factor was supposed to take care of this crap. He grabbed clean clothing off the line over the bed and went into the bedroom. It was definitely nice having a frail around. Things were getting done – things he usually ignored until he couldn't, like laundry and dishes and cleaning.

As soon as she was up and around he picked up the mattress off the floor and carried it into the first bedroom. They would sleep in a bed tonight. He could feel the heat from the stone chimney that backed into this room, as soon as the roof was finished; it would stay nice and warm as long as they banked the fires well.

Toad could have the other room, it backed on the kitchen, and the kitchen stove kept it warm enough…well warm enough for Toad. Victor wouldn't sleep in there, and if the green frog boy didn't like it, he could leave.

Omi had breakfast ready by the time the living room was put right, and the bed in the second bedroom was put back together. They ate quietly, and then he signaled Toad to head out to the front.

"Good breakfast." He said quietly.

"Thanks." She smiled.

"Plannin on goin inta town this afternoon, if the roof is done; you are coming with us." He said.

"Okay." She didn't even blink.

"I want ta get things done before the next storm hits." He said as he stood up.

"Okay." She said again.

Something was wrong. She wasn't arguing, wasn't reacting.

"You sure you are okay?" He sniffed the air. No pain…no blood for that matter.

"I'm fine." She said softly.

She was gathering up the dishes. Shit! Something was bothering her, he hated frail crap.

"WHAT!" He shouted.

She jumped. He smelled a stab of fear in the room.

"Victor, I'm fine. Go fix the roof." She grumbled. He reached out and pulled her close.

"Omi…quit lying to me – I can smell it and it pisses me off." He said softly. He felt her shake in his arms and knew something was wrong.

"Are you going to send me back?" She asked quietly.

"WHAT!?"

"Mort said I could cause problems for you – You said you only dragged me with you because of the baby, and I lost that – I'm not a mutant, why would you want me to stay?"

"FUCK! OMI!" He shouted. He put a finger under her chin and forced her to look up at him; he could see tears in her eyes. "You are mine, got that! Any problems that come up I'll deal with. As for the cub – it happened, but that don't mean…" He was getting angry with her. She just didn't seem to understand, and he wasn't going to try to explain it to her. "HELL I want ya ta stay because I want ya ta stay. NO I ain't sendin ya back. Ya ain't a mail order parcel that was fucked up – SHIT woman, stop this frail crap and get those beds made. We men have work to do."

He growled once and let her go, before heading out to join Mort on the roof. They had gotten all the plywood down yesterday and were finishing up the shingles this morning. It was cold, exhausting work.

"Is she ok?" Mort asked as they took a break.

"She's fine. Just dumb frail crap." He grumbled.

"Frail crap…Victor, either you are blind as a bat, or the most insensitive jerk I have ever met. She's scared out of her mind." Mort leaned back on his hands on the roof.

"No she ain't, she's just worried I'll send her back to New York." He said finally.

"No, Vic…she's scared shitless…scared you don't feel the same way she does."

He just glared at the Toad. "What?"

"That woman loves you." Mort said finally, picking up his hammer.

"I know that…wouldn't have brought her if she didn't!" He said, picking up his own hammer.

"Do you love her?"

"She's here, ain't she?" That was the last thing he said about it. Mort kept trying to get him to talk, but he just glared at him and kept working. They were done with the roof by lunch and he glared at Mort while they ate, daring him to say something in front of Omi. Mort just grinned, and ate in silence.

That afternoon they all piled into the larger chopper. He wanted her to check in with Ed anyway, so she could make her calls from his house.

XXXXXXXXXXX

She sat in the back. Victor and Mort were sitting in the two front seats. They both had headsets, so she was left to her own devices. The flight was short, and they put down in the back yard of a house. She recognized the doctor standing outside the back door, piles of supplies, including a large generator standing next to him.

"Good you brought the young lady; I'd like to do a follow up exam, if you don't mind." He said as they walked over. The blades on the chopper were still spinning slowly. She followed the elderly doctor into the house, and into an exam room. An older woman was sitting there, waiting.

"I didn't get your name last time you were here, young lady." The older man said. Victor came in the door behind him.

"Its Naomi…Naomi Creed." He growled at the doctor. She just looked at him in surprise for a second. The woman just wrote it down, and smiled at Victor.

"How are you doing these days, Vic?" She asked.

"Not so good since you married this loser, Vera." He replied, pointing at the doctor.

"Well, we can't all wait around on you…and you seem to have found you a girl finally." She smiled.

"That I have. Doc, can Omi use your phone when you are done, she needs ta make a couple calls?"

"Sure, I know you are good for the bill." The old doctor grinned at him.

She gave them the information they seemed to need for her chart, and then slipped into the exam robe when they left the room. The exam wasn't unpleasant, and Vera helped by keeping her distracted and laughing by telling stories about Victor, evidently he was a horrible poker player.

"Well, young lady, I don't see any adverse effects from your little incident. You should be able to get back to normal activity as you see fit. I know you and Victor are disappointed about losing this one, but there will be other children." He said, patting her on the shoulder as she sat up. He and his wife left, to allow her to get dressed. Well, that at least put one part of her mind at ease. It was a miscarriage, not that she doubted Victor – but she needed to hear it from the doctor. He said Victor had been disappointed? That confused her even more.

After she was dressed they led her into a comfortable living room and Vera handed her the phone. She dialed her father's number first, after the older woman left the room.

"Hey, Dad." She said when he picked up.

"NAOMI, where have you been? I have been calling the apartment for two days." He sounded scared and relieved at the same time.

"I came to Canada with a friend…a good friend, and we got snowed in."

"CANADA! Who the hell do you know in Canada?"

"Dad…"

"OH a BOYFRIEND!"

"Dad, he's more than a boyfriend…"

"You didn't get MARRIED did you?"

"Not exactly…."

"What does that mean?"

"It means…for all intents and purposes…yea." Well, at least she HOPED Victor felt that way.

"So you are living in Canada now?"

"Yes, Dad, I am."

"Tell me he at least lives where there is good hunting." Well, it couldn't be all bad if her Dad was thinking about hunting.

"Yea, he has a cabin up the mountain from a small town up here. When the snow melts and we can get things organized better, we'll invite you up." She hoped to hell Victor would go along with this. She heard him growl behind her – then again maybe not.

"Give me that…" he snatched the phone from her.

"Who's this." He snarled into the phone.

"Thomas Johnson…Omi's father." She could hear her Dad's reply.

"Oh…Name's Vic." He actually looked a little sheepish.

"You taking care of my girl?" Her Dad asked.

"Of course. Won't be able ta have ya up till spring…roads are snowed out to the cabin, having to use helicopters to get in and out."

"Spring is fine; as long as she's happy…do you understand me, Boy." She could see Victor getting angry.

"Omi is my concern now, so butt the hell out." He handed her the phone and stormed out. She knew things weren't going to go well when they got back to the cabin. She put the phone to her ear.

"Are you sure you are alright?" Her Dad asked.

"Yes, Dad; Vic can be brusque but he is good to me, and I love him." They talked a few more minutes. She knew he wasn't happy with the situation, but since her Mom died, he didn't say much about how Omi lived her life. She really hoped Vic was serious about having him come for a visit. She worried about him. She hung up and called her office.

"Mr. Jones speaking." Her boss answered.

"Hi, it's Naomi."

"Where have you been? We have been worried sick. This isn't like you Naomi." She felt badly, the office was really close and she knew they had been worried.

"I came to visit a friend in Canada and we got snowed in. He doesn't have a phone at his place and this was the first time I could get to one since we got here." She replied.

"Is this the guy who's been walking you home for the last six months?"

"Yea."

"Are you coming back?"

"No…this is my notice." She gave them Ed's address and phone number for a contact for her final paycheck. She knew he was upset, but she wasn't going back. She made one more phone call, to her landlord telling him she was not coming back to the apartment. She knew she was losing quite a bit doing that, but she was starting a new life, and those things just didn't mean that much.

She went out the back door of the house and saw the men attaching the supplies to a pallet that they were attaching to a hook on the bottom of the helicopter.

"That should be everything you need, Victor. I am glad this young man came along to help you two out. Naomi is a fine young lady, but I was worried about the two of you up there all alone." Ed was saying as she walked up. Victor didn't even glance at her, just kept packing the pallet. She climbed into the back seat of the helicopter and Vic and Mortimer climbed into the front seats. Mort flew them back, and Naomi kept watching the tension in Victor's shoulders with dread.

They landed, and she ducked out of the bird a soon as it was safe to do so. It was getting late and she wanted to make sure they had something to eat. The men pushed the pallet across the bare and refrozen yard to the front porch. It was covered with a tarp so there was very little risk of the weather getting to it overnight.

She was in the kitchen, putting a quick dinner together when he came storming in.

"WHAT the HELL was that…?!" He shouted. "Am I taking care of his girl, YOU'RE my GIRL now."

"That's just my Dad. He's a little protective. My Mom and sister were killed in a crash about three years ago, and I am all he has left." She was stirring the water on the stove, willing it to boil.

He yanked the spoon out of her hand. "I ain't havin no human tell me how ta take care of my girl, even if he spawned ya." He growled, kissing her fiercely.

As quickly as he started he quit, backing away from her and storming out of the room. She just stared after him in shock. He was full of surprises today. She finished up dinner, and they both came in and grabbed plates, before going back to the living room. They had managed to get the generator hooked up, and they actually had a radio with reception. The three of them sat and listened to the grim weather reports. Another huge blizzard was heading their way. At least they were supplied and sheltered, now if they could just keep from killing each other from boredom they might survive.


	6. Chapter 6

Falling Stars

I don't own the Brotherhood or the X-Men and hope to God Marvel is nice to people who play in their playground…

Yes another Victor Creed fic…he's still living in my brain…

Chapter 6

She was standing on the porch, her coat pulled tight around her against the cold. She was watching the stars. You couldn't see them like this in the city. She missed nights like this – when she would go hunting with her dad – or just camping in the woods. He hadn't done much since her mother and sister died. His interest in hunting when she talked to him made her think he might be coming out of it – finally.

"It's cold out here, Darlin'" He said as he came out the door.

"Not that cold. They are never this clear – never so many, unless you are away from everyone. It's like they hide."

"No – it's the lights."

"I know that silly – LOOK!" She pointed at a shooting star – falling – she had the sudden image of him falling from the statue.

"Make a wish." He slipped his arms around her. She leaned her head back against his chest and closed her eyes. He would be angry if he knew what she wished for – she knew. She wished that this would never end – that he would stay with her – that he would never get tired of her – and for another chance. She was happy – even with everything that had happened. She just wanted to be happy.

"What'd ya wish for?"

"If I tell you it won't come true – silly." She said.

"Then keep it quiet." He nuzzled against her hair. "You should go in – its cold – and you ain't used to this."

"What did you wish for?"

"If I tell you it won't come true – now will it?"

"Guess not." Omi turned and walked into the cabin. Mort was sitting at the table in the kitchen playing solitaire.

"You two through bein' lovey dovey." He asked.

She just laughed and walked to the table and sat down.

"Deal – frog boy." She said.

Victor was still standing on the porch; she wondered why he hadn't come in yet.

XXXXXXXXXX

He watched the shooting star until it was out of sight. She would be pissed if she knew what he wished. She was his – she would never leave him – but he wanted her to be happy. He had been thinking about the cub – about the future – he wished for another chance. He heard her and Mort in the kitchen – and smiled. Old Toad was good company – and kept her from fretting at him so much.

He walked back inside and shut the door. The storm should blow in sometime in the night, the clear sky had been a rare treat this time of year, and he knew it would be a long winter. They were at the table, piles of matchsticks in front of them, and Toad was dealing the cards.

"There room for a third?"

"Sure – if ya want to lose your shirt." She grinned.

"Didn't know we were playing strip poker." He grinned.

"We aren't – playing for matchsticks." Mort grimaced. "Strip poker would be more fun."

"Not without a lady Toad."

"Fuck you."

"You ain't my type – green boy."

Omi just sat there laughing at them. She and Mort split their piles of matches to give him a stake and Mort dealt the cards.

"Five card draw – joker's wild." Mort said as he dealt.

They sat and played most of the night. There wasn't a whole lot of conversation – and Vic's pile of matchsticks kept shrinking. He glanced across the table – Mort was in worse shape than he was – and the pile of matchsticks in front of Omi kept growing. He grinned to himself – glad they weren't playing strip poker – he's be sitting here in his boxers.

Everyone jumped at a loud crack outside. They all three threw down the cards and ran to the door. One of the large pines had snapped in the cold – the clouds had moved in, obscuring the sky, and the wind was picking up. Victor put an arm around Omi's shoulders.

"Get inside – you don't have a coat on."

"I'm fine."

"Woman – get your ass inside – just cuz you can play poker don't mean …" He growled. She glared up at him, but went back inside the house. Mort had grabbed his coat and the two men moved the broken tree top out of the yard, and to the side of the house. If all else failed they would have it for extra firewood.

"That reminds me – get an axe – frog boy – we need to get some more wood in."

"No shit – but not at one o'clock in the morning – I am goin' ta get some sleep. We can cut wood in the morning."

"Toad – that storm is moving fast – we may not be able to SEE the wood in the morning."

"Fine – it ain't like we haven't got two huge piles on the front porch and one on the back." He mumbled.

"That will get us through a couple days – you heard the damned radio – this could last a couple weeks. I don't want Omi gettin cold."

"Omi – and here I thought you were worried about me." Toad goaded him. He just growled.

"You can take care of yourself." He picked up an axe and headed for the woods.

"Fine – chopping wood at one a.m. just my idea of fun…." He heard Mort grumble.

They chopped and hauled wood – adding more to the piles near the doors, until the snow started to fall.

"Let's get in, this crap is getting thick." Mort said as they hauled the last of what they had cut to the cabin.

Victor just nodded – then looked over at the choppers. They needed to be tied down. Mort caught his look, and both men dumped the wood on the porch and went to work with the birds. By the time they were done – it was nearly dawn – not that they could tell, the way the wind had picked up and the snow was falling.

"Can we get out of this now?" Mort asked.

"Yeah – plannin' on sleepin most of tomorrow anyway." Victor said as they headed into the cabin. Omi was awake and had hot coffee ready for them.

"Woman – you should be in bed." Victor grumbled.

"Yeah – right."

He was getting tired of her lip; he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder.

"Get some sleep Toad." He threw back as he carried her into their room.

"I hope so – if you two don't keep me awake." He snapped back. Victor just growled and tossed her onto the bed. He closed the door and started stripping off his duster.

"Get some sleep – Omi." He said softly. "I'm tired."

"Okay." She said softly. He turned just as she pulled of her sweatshirt and all thoughts of sleep left his head. He walked over and slipped his hands along her bare back. She jumped.

"DAMN! Victor your hands are like ice."

"Sorry." He dropped them quickly but she grabbed them and started rubbing them.

"I know you can heal and shit – but frostbite is still a bitch."

"They ain't frostbitten – just cold." He pulled them back from her. She was standing there in her bra and jeans and all he could think of was getting her out of them – but she wouldn't want his cold hands touching her.

"Vic…" She slipped into his arms, her body pressed against his.

"Darlin' you need some rest. I been workin in the cold – you get dressed for bed." He was trying to figure out where to put his hands without touching bare skin.

She looked up at him and he couldn't resist – he leaned down and kissed her. For a moment he was in her apartment in New York – and they were alone. Her warm hands on his bare chest shocked him back to the present.

"Darlin…" He whispered. She had managed to get his shirt open. He put his hands over hers.

"I miss you." She whispered.

"I'm right here."

"You know what I mean."

"Darlin' you ain't up for this."

"Ed said – at my pace and when I was ready – and I am."

He groaned before kissing her again. Hell – a man could only take so much temptation. They were quickly out of their clothes and in bed – his hands roaming with familiarity and possession over her body. Her soft moans and sighs just pushed him further toward the edge.

After they curled up in the bed – his hands stroking her back as she lay half across his chest – her lips brushing his skin as she settled down for sleep.

"Darlin' I didn't hurt ya – did I?"

"Vic – you have never worried about hurting me before – what makes you think you did now?" She laughed.

"Nothin' – just worried about ya."

"I'm fine." He felt her smile against his chest. Shit! She was going to think he had gone soft.

"Good – cuz I'm ready for another round." He grinned.

"VICTOR!" She gasped as he rolled her to her back. It wouldn't do for her to think he had gone soft, she was there for one reason – and one reason only, he just hoped to God she wouldn't figure out what that reason was. He wouldn't even let himself think the words, but his body and his heart knew. She was his – that was all she needed to know. This time she drifted off to sleep, her body curled against his, wrapped in his arms.

He watched her sleep, safe and protected in his arms. She was his; there was no doubt in his mind. The problem was – he was worried it worked the other way too, that he was hers – something he would NEVER let her know.


	7. Chapter 7

Falling Stars

I don't own the Brotherhood or the X-Men and hope to God Marvel is nice to people who play in their playground…

Yes another Victor Creed fic…he's still living in my brain…

Chapter 7

The storm blew itself out two days later, and an unseasonable warm snap melted most of the snow. The roof repairs seemed to be holding, there were only a couple leaks – and Mort and Victor had those quickly repaired. With the snow around the cabin melted – water had to be hauled from the stream nearby. Victor and Mortimer decided on another supply run, this time leaving Omi at the cabin. She didn't complain – they were both getting on her nerves.

She pulled out the bow she had been working on – Victor had laughed at her when he saw her with it.

"_You'll be lucky that thing don't break – I think it's over eighty years old."_

"_The wood is sound – so's the string."_

"_Like you'd know, city girl."_

"_Fuck you, Vic."_

"_Promise."_

_She glared at him and went into the bedroom to work on the bow. She could hear Victor and Mort playing cards in the living room._

The bow was sound – in spite of his comments – and the arrows were not in bad shape – wooden but she could work with them. She had fixed the fletching on a few with plastic, since the feathers were dry rotted. She was just planning on practicing, something to do while the weather was warmer and she didn't have to be stuck inside the house.

She found a few boxes from the supply runs and set up targets behind the house to practice with. Victor could laugh if he wanted to – she knew what she was doing. The first arrow went way off target, and she groaned – ok maybe she knew what she was doing – she was way out of practice. The next few arrows at least stuck in the ground near the targets. She was getting better – getting the feel for the old bow. She was used to compounds – not an old fashioned long bow like this.

After about half an hour of practice she was hitting the targets fairly regularly – none in the kill zone but she was getting better. She was just lining up another shot when she thought she heard the chopper – she glanced up and released the bow. The arrow went flying into the woods.

"SHIT! I don't have enough of those as it is." She grumbled as she went into the woods looking for the stray arrow. She found it imbedded near the roots of a huge pine tree, and on the other side, down wind – a herd of deer. SHIT! She could take care of meat for a month if she could actually shoot this damned thing. She watched them – and picked a target – if all else failed – well she'd be chasing another arrow.

She quietly drew back the bow, her eyes on her target. Several deer lifted their heads at the creak of the old wood being drawn back, but didn't see her and didn't sense a threat. She waited until they settled down, grazing on the few tufts of grass poking through the mud and melting snow. She sent up a silent prayer and loosed her arrow. The herd took off running – all but one. Her prayer must have worked – the doe was lying on the ground, her arrow deeply imbedded in its side. SHIT she did it. She grinned – and then tried to figure out how she was going to get the carcass back to the house. She ran back – and picked up some of the rope from the supply runs and one of the tarps from the roof repairs.

She managed to wrestle the still warm body on to the tarp, she didn't want to damage the hide – she had looked over Victor's old clothes – the ones he was wearing when he dragged her out of New York – and realized they were all hand made. Here was a nice hide for him to start over with.

It was a long drag back to the cabin – and she was out of breath and tired when she got there. She noticed a large metal hook on the end of the back porch – she knew what that was for – she'd cleaned enough game with her father. She tied the deer's rear feet together and used the rope and the hook as a fulcrum and hauled it up so that the head was hanging off of the ground. She tied off the rope and grabbed one of the chairs from the kitchen. She shifted the rope around the deer's legs on to the hook so that the hook was supporting the animal's weight.

She grabbed one of the buckets from the kitchen and put it under the deer's head – and then slit the throat, allowing the blood to drain from the carcass. She quickly switched buckets as the first one filled. She carried the full one out into the woods – away from the house and dumped it. She didn't want predators coming around the house while she was working.

She was skinning it when she heard the copper come around the front of the house. She knew they would expect her to help unload but she needed to get this damned hide off first. She heard Victor roar her name from the front. He was just going to have to fucking wait.

She was cutting the hide from around the front hooves when he came charging through the cabin, swearing at the top of his lungs. She turned and glared at him as he stopped dead in the door to the kitchen.

"WHAT THE FUCK!" He shouted.

"What does it look like." She snapped back.

"I called and you didn't answer – I thought something had happened and you are out here – cleaning a fucking deer…cleaning a fucking – WHERE did THAT come from?"

"That fucking bow that you said was fucking useless you fucking jerk." She muttered.

"YOU killed it – with that damned bow?"

"Yes you asshole – either help or go unload the damned chopper I'm kinda busy at the moment."

"OMI!" He roared at her.

"WHAT!" She shouted back.

"I love you." She just stood there in shock.

He turned and walked into the cabin. She shook her head – not believing what she had just heard – her ears had to be playing tricks.

XXXXXXXX

He couldn't believe he had just said that. FUCK! How could he just blurt it out like that? Okay – finding her out back on the porch cleaning a fucking deer that she fucking killed had probably been the sexiest thing he had ever seen. And knowing she could survive out here if she had to – well that was a definite plus – but to just blurt it out like that. He was getting senile.

He turned and saw Mortimer standing in the doorway between the kitchen and living room, his mouth open.

"NOT a FUCKING WORD!" Victor grumbled as he passed the other man.

Toad just shook his head – Victor couldn't remember a time the green man had been speechless – this wasn't good. It was a good thing that Ed had found a large chest freezer that would run on the generator – they were going to need it to freeze all that meat – although another front was getting ready to move through, bringing another round of snow.

"You know – I ain't sure which surprised me more – seeing her with that damned deer – or what you said." Mort said as he came up behind him at the chopper. Victor just glared – and handed him another load for the house.

"Not that there's anything wrong with a woman who can hunt – or you telling her how you feel – but DAMN – I never EVER expected to hear you say something like that."

"Shutting up would be a really good thing – frog boy." He was trying to figure out how to avoid her the rest of the day – he didn't want to discuss it. He was seriously considering a run into town – maybe getting snowed in at Ed's. That prospect was looking really attractive at the moment. That or sending Toad into town – no then everyone would know he'd gone soft – SHIT!

"Victor." It was Omi. Shit he didn't want to deal with this. He turned and looked at her.

"What?"

"Do you have a special way you treat hides – or do you just want me to save the brains and fat?"

"WHAT?" He roared.

"Ok – I'll just treat the damned hide myself."

"Wait – Omi it just wasn't what I was expectin'- yea – save the fat and brains – I'll take care of tannin it later." He was trying to think of where his frames were, he hadn't actually treated hides in years.

"Okay – should I freeze them till you are ready?"

"Na – won't get warm enough for them to spoil by the time I get to it."

She turned to walk away. He wasn't leaving it like this.

"Omi." She looked back. "I meant it."

"I know." She just smiled at him.

"Don't get used to it." He grumbled.

"I won't." He pulled her close, the rolled hide dropped to the ground. He rested his head on the top of hers, her arms slipped around his waist under his duster. He waited, but she just stood there, finally he let her go and went back to work. Maybe he was wrong; maybe she didn't feel the same way. She had fucking BETTER feel the same way.

"Victor."

He turned to look at her. She had put the hide on the porch and was back to help with unloading. She grabbed a couple bags from the cargo pods.

"What?"

"I love you, too." He watched her walk back to the house – grinning from ear to ear. Damn the woman, she had to keep him off balance. He didn't stop grinning the rest of the afternoon; he even helped her finish butchering the carcass – damned women's work. Toad laughed at them all afternoon – at least until they made him haul the entrails out into the woods to keep predators away. The freezer was plugged in, and most of the meat wrapped and stored inside. The generator would run long enough to get it frozen, and then they would just run it a little while each day to keep things frozen until he could see about a better electrical situation.

That night he just held her close, as if she might disappear on him. He didn't know if the world could handle him if he went insane, so she just better stay close.


	8. Chapter 8

Falling Stars

I don't own the Brotherhood or the X-Men and hope to God Marvel is nice to people who play in their playground…

Yes another Victor Creed fic…he's still living in my brain…

Chapter 8

They were standing out in the muddy yard; Mort was climbing into the helicopter he had flown here.

'You two are driving me insane – and I need ta find me a woman of my own – that one of yours – well hell, Tooth – except for being celibate for four fucking months – I am spoiled rotten."

"I told ya – she's MINE!" He growled.

"NO SHIT! Like she'd be anyone else's – here's what YOU need ta get – YOU'RE HERS!" Mort shouted at him.

"I don't belong to no fuckin frail – get that through your thick amphibian head."

"Oh yes you do – lock stock and barrel. Hell with me gone – you can go all 'soft and frail' and no one would ever know."

"Ain't gonna happen."

"I give ya a week – maybe less." He grinned as he turned on the engine to warm up. Victor loaded the rest of his gear in the cargo pods and then ducked out of the way. Like HELL he'd go soft. Yes he lov – yes she was his – and was getting used to the idea – but there was no way in HELL he was going to do anything soft and stupid – cub or no cub.

One slip – ONE and the damned Toad thought he'd go soft. He hadn't said it again – wouldn't say it again. She just smiled when he growled at her – or roared – or grumbled, and it drove him insane. She KNEW damn it – knew and never demanded anything. That's what bothered him. She never demanded – hell never ASKED for anything. Why the hell couldn't she act like the frails he'd known – he knew how to deal with them.

XXXXXXXX

The front door slammed. Mort had taken off. The last few months – snowed in had everyone's tempers on edge and he had decided that he was heading for warmer climates. She was in the kitchen – already missing Frog Boy when she heard Victor in the door.

She heard him clear his throat.

"How's the supplies?" He snarled.

"Low, I'm using the last of the eggs for breakfast."

"There should be enough canned food to last a while. You will just have to toughen up a bit." He grumbled. "I ain't goin into town for a couple weeks."

"It's fine – really."

He stood behind her – and moved like he was going to put his arms around her – and then stopped. He snarled and growled and then turned and slammed down onto the bench – making the table bounce with the force.

"Victor, what the hell is wrong with you, you are so angry, why? Is it those reports about the attack on the President? You had nothing to do with that – you've been here. They're not even sure it was a MUTANT that did it."

He growled again "SHUT UP, Omi."

"Why are you mad at me – what the hell have I done to piss you off?" She slammed the cast iron skillet on the stove. She pulled her hand back, a burn starting to blister. He growled and grabbed her hand roughly – shoving it in her face.

"You are fucking HUMAN!"

"What?"

"And I am a MUTANT!" He put his hand down on the stove; she heard the sizzle of burning flesh before he ripped it away and held it so she could watch it heal.

"I KNOW that – Victor – what is going on?"

"KNOW that, OMI! You know what I am? I am a fucking MUTANT…YOU'VE BEEN FUCKING A MUTANT." He shoved her back and turned to the table. "You just don't get it. Mutants and Humans – just don't mix." He snarled.

"Victor – why are you doing this?"

"Woman – you just need to learn when to shut the FUCK UP! I don't want ta hear your fuckin voice all the fucking time. You are a weak pathetic human – good for a fuck – you are fucking lucky I have let you live this fucking long." He snarled at her, it was like he was pushing her – pushing her to get angry with him – well if that's what he wanted, she was going to give it to him with both barrels.

"VICTOR CREED – you are an A number one asshole. I don't give a flying fuck if you are human or mutant or from fucking MARS. Just because some mutant gets a wild hair up his ass to go try to assassinate the President of the United States you have to take it fucking personally. I am HERE because YOU dragged my ass up here – I have STAYED because I WANT to – you asshole – although right now I am rethin…" His mouth crashed down on hers, harsh, his fangs drawing blood, his hands rough as they kneaded her breasts under her sweatshirt.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP, OMI! Don't say somethin you'll regret. It's time ta face the music, Darlin. You fucked a mutant – you got lucky the first time – but now you are just goin ta have ta deal with the consequences – 'cuz this time you ain't losin MY cub!!" He snarled.

"What the he – I'm PREGNANT! All of this because I am pregnant again?" She drew back and slapped him hard across the face and then threw her arms around his neck, her cheeks hurt from the grin. A BABY!

"You are happy? You are fucking happy to be carrying another mutant bastard." He snarled – doubt showing on his face. She just kissed him.

"Yes you big dumb shit – YOUR mutant bastard – unless you want to do something to fix that last part – but it doesn't bother me." She couldn't help but laugh at the shocked look on his face.

"You'd marry me…after all the shit Toad has told ya – about my killin and rapin and basically bein a worthless piece of shit." He was snarling and growling, but his hands had turned tender and he held her close against him.

"Are you asking…cuz if not I can go kill another deer." She grinned at him. His mouth crashed down on hers again, just as fierce – just as hungry and this time she could almost feel him tremble. She knew he wasn't angry anymore – scared as hell – but not angry.

"We didn't do so good last time – Darlin." He said finally. She wasn't going to tell him there were tears in his eyes.

"We will be fine." She smiled at him.

"Frog Boy should be back – he wanted to check on some things – maybe get himself laid." He grinned at her.

"Poor Frog Boy." She giggled.

"Yea – where the hell is he gonna find a girl like you?"

"You did NOT just say that."

"Well – I could tell him to check Central Park at night – but I think I got lucky."

"You are so going to think you got lucky." He picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. Privacy might be a nice thing.

XXXXXXXX

They were both surprised by the sound of a car horn outside the cabin. She sat up in bed, barely covered by a sheet. Who had managed to get a car up here?

"Ho the Cabin?" Came a very familiar voice.

"OH SHIT!" She moaned.

"What?" He was pulling on his clothes – grumbling and growling the whole time.

"It's my DAD!" She said.

"HOW the HELL did he find us?" He looked at her completely bewildered.

"I have NO idea." She said, scrambling to find clothes herself.

She ran for the front room still buttoning her shirt as Victor opened the door. Her Dad was standing there – case in hand, backpack on his back – his old LandRover had managed the steep and winding path to the cabin.

"Naomi Johnson – you have some explainin' to do." He said.

"Dad – Hi! How did you find us?" She asked.

"The nice doctor who's office you called from gave me directions – and I checked the damned courthouse before drivin up here…" He was drumming the fingers on one hand on the hood of the LandRover.

"We've been snowed in – planning on takin care of legalities once things clear ta town." Victor grumbled, glaring at her.

"We were?" She asked – a grin on her face.

"Yeah – unless you think ya need ta kill a damned MOOSE this time – SHIT – woman even I can take a fucking hint." He held his hand out to her father. "Victor Creed."

"Thomas Johnson." He took the other man's hand in a firm shake.

"You're lucky – we had a house guest over the winter – he just left a little bit ago." Victor said.

"The chopper I saw leavin?"

"Yeah."

"You don't have a car?"

"Use the bird – kinda hard ta get up here in a car – surprised you made it. Ed usually uses a pack mule."

"This baby has gotten me into worse places." Her Dad grinned.

"I guess I should go start lunch then, Vic – the well's still frozen so would you go get some water from the stream." She was trying not to blush too much.

"I'll give you a hand there – boy." She could hear Victor's growl from the kitchen. God she hoped he didn't kill her father – or worse her father kill him.

She quickly cleaned the kitchen from the forgotten mess of breakfast. She opened a can of Spam and sliced it up and threw it in a skillet – there was mayo in the cooler – the refrigerator took too much juice from the generator – Victor was planning on having a line run from town and he and Mort had completely wired the house. The plumbing was in place – just needed juice for the pump – and the well to thaw and the cabin would be nice and cozy.

She pulled the fried Spam out of the skillet and put it on a plate. She sliced tomatoes and pickles. _What was taking them so long getting water for crying out loud?_

She opened the back door to yell for them and saw them at his tanning frame. Her Dad was pointing to the hole the arrow had put in the leather.

"Nice shot – that. I taught her." He grinned.

"I sure as hell was surprised when we got back from town and she was out here cleanin that thing." Victor replied as she walked up. Both men had two buckets at their feet.

"You know the kitchen would get cleaned up a lot faster if I had water to work with." She said.

"Is she always this testy?" Victor asked pointing at her with his thumb.

"Yep – takes after her mother." Her Dad said with a grin, and even ruffled her hair. She wasn't sure which was worse – the idea that they might hate each other – or that they might LIKE each other.

"So how long are you planning on staying, Dad?" She asked.

"Couple weeks – see if I can get me one of those." He pointed to the tanning frame.

"If you do – Vic needs the hides for a project he's working on."

"No problem there – and if you two want privacy – I brought my camping gear."

"NO! We have a room with a bed – you're stayin with us – besides you're family."

Her father gave him an appraising look and just smiled. "Glad you said that – boy."

She watched Victor wince.

"Lunch is on – fried Spam sandwiches."

"My favorite." Her Dad grinned – like she'd forget. They picked up the buckets and headed to the cabin. Her Dad was up to something – something she didn't like.

Victor went out to work on his hide after lunch which gave her time to talk to her Dad.

"Okay – what are you up to?" She asked

"Nothing – friend of mine wanted me to check on something up this way – and I figured I could stop by and get some hunting in."

"Friend of yours – that friend wouldn't carry a gun and wear a federal badge would he? Dad – you are retired."

"Yep – that's why I can check things out – quietly, and let him know if it's something that needs lookin into." He grinned. She had wanted him to get out of the slump from her Mom's death – but not like this.

"You are going to get yourself hurt or killed doing things like this." She said.

"Hey – I was checkin out your boy there – and I plan on telling Fred he's good – clean – and not involved in the mess – so quit."

"What mess?"

"This assassination stuff."

"He's been here all winter, Dad."

"I know – been trackin' the choppers. Toynbee is clear too – in case you are worried."

"DAD! You leave Mort out of this – he's a nice guy."

"Honey – they are terrorists – both of them. I STILL can't believe you are mixed up with that one – his file is as thick as my arm."

"YOU RAN BACKGROUNDS on him." She shouted.

"Yep – and told him about them too. I LIKE your boy there. Reminds me of me when I was younger."

"OH GOD!"

"Now as long as he makes an honest woman out of ya – I'll be a happy man."

"DAD!"


	9. Chapter 9

Falling Stars

I don't own the Brotherhood or the X-Men and hope to God Marvel is nice to people who play in their playground…

Yes another Victor Creed fic…he's still living in my brain…

Chapter 9

It had been eight months since the wedding – Victor still grinned at the memory. Her father had actually carried a damned shotgun into the courthouse. His connections hadn't hurt either. The piece of paper he carried in his pocket, saying he was free and clear of his past, along with the badge felt strange – but it let him get his feral side out without actually breaking the law, and with a new family, he didn't need any problems with the law. He'd only used it twice in the last eight months. It wasn't like he needed money for much. He was just a reserve Marshall anyway.

Omi was still asleep, but when he glanced up and saw the meteor shower he had to wake her. He rushed into the cabin, tripping over the project he'd been working on, the cradle was almost complete.

"Omi – wake up." He said softly as he climbed up onto the bed.

"Victor – leave me alone, my back hurts and I'm NOT in the mood."

"Woman – get your lazy ass out of bed – I want ta show ya something." He growled. She glared at him over the pile of blankets. She'd been cold the entire last trimester of the pregnancy.

"Can't you show me in the morning?" She grumbled.

"No NOW." He growled at her again.

She glared at him but climbed out of the warm bed. She looked like she would burst any second and he hoped to hell the chopper would get her to town fast enough when the time came.

"Victor, I'm TIRED."

"I know – but if you miss this you will be even more pissed." He grinned.

She slipped on her house shoes and followed him out to the front porch.

"Oh God."

"Lot of wishes in the sky tonight." He whispered against her hair as he pulled her back against him.

"You were right – I would have been more pissed if I'd missed this." She whispered back. She felt him lace his fingers over her swollen abdomen, and both of them felt the first contraction hit at the same time.

"OMI!"

"What – I have no control over it." She snapped, as she felt the gush of water down her leg.

"It's too soon."

"Babies come when they are ready Victor." She said, hissing through the contraction.

"I'm calling Ed." He helped her sit in the rocking chair he'd carved for her and went inside to the radio they'd put in after her dad left.

"Wake up ya old coot – we have broken water up here." He growled into the mike.

"Her water broke?" Came the sleepy reply.

"Yea."

"Get her to bed, if she wants, if not sitting up or walking would be better – I'll saddle up the mule and be up there in an hour or so." Ed said.

"Can't I just fly her down there?"

"Then you'd have to fly her and the baby back up there – and neither one of them really need that. It'll be better if I come to her."

"What if something goes wrong – she ain't like me." Victor snarled.

"Victor – that's WHY I'm coming, women have babies without doctors all the time – I'm just there to help and take care of problems." Ed said simply. "NOW shut up and let me get packed and on the damned mule."

Victor grinned but cut the mike. Help was on the way. He knew how to end life – not begin it. He heard a strangled cry from the porch and ran out. She was hunched over in the chair, in the grips of a bad contraction.

"Omi." He whispered, he didn't like the scent coming from her.

"I'm fine – just another bad one." She said soflty.

"You want to go back to bed – Ed's on the way." He said.

"Please." She whispered.

He picked her up and carried her to the bedroom. No he didn't like the scent coming from her at all. It smelled too close to death for his liking.

He paced the floor, holding her hand when the contractions hit, trying to remember what the darn coach had told them. He really hadn't been paying attention. The sound of a chopper on the yard startled him.

"Be right back, Omi." He whispered. Who was coming in at this time of night?

He stood on the porch, arms folded across his chest glaring at the massive helicopter landing on his front lawn. It had governmental markings – US Government. This wasn't good.

"Vic – It's me." Mort shouted from the open pilot's window.

"What the FUCK are you doing here – and WHERE did you get that thing."

"Brought guests." He said

"Last thing I need right now." Victor shouted back. The blades wound down and the side doors opened, two people jumped out – leather uniforms winking in the falling meteors' light.

"X GEEKS!" He shouted.

"Jean Gray – this is Scott Summers. We are here to help." She said.

"Help with what?"

"The baby." Jean said simply, before pushing past him, a black doctor's bag in her hand. He just looked at the red head in shock.

"How'd you know." He growled at Summers.

"Jean – she just knew, had the Professor find Toad to bring us up here." Scott said. "Things have been strange since Liberty Island, her powers are acting strangely – and I wasn't letting her anywhere NEAR you without backup." He said with a snarl.

"Fuck you." Victor growled before going back to his wife.

"You really should leave." Jean said.

"My wife – my cub – I stay." He growled back.

"I'm going to have to do a caesarian." She said, pulling out operating supplies.

"Who is this, Victor." Omi said, frightened. "I want Ed."

"She's a doctor." Victor said. "Ed's on the way – should be here any time, Omi." He stroked her hair.

"You really shouldn't be here while I operate." Jean said again.

"I told you my wife – my cub – I stay." Victor growled at her. "It ain't like I ain't seen blood before."

"True." The red head replied.

She was pulling out operating equipment – all in individual, sterilized packages, when Ed came bouncing in the door.

"Who's this?"

"Unasked for help." Victor growled.

"The baby is breach – and is already in the canal, I can't turn it telekinetically, or by hand so we are either going to have to operate or we might lose them both." Jean told the other doctor.

"You can tell that without an ultrasound?" Ed asked skeptically.

"I am a telepath – and a telekinetic, as well as a doctor. I could sense the baby's distress in New York." She said simply.

"Well – I'm useless."

"No – I could really use your assistance." Jean told the older doctor. He just nodded and looked at her state of the art equipment.

"Whatever you need, Doctor." He replied. They draped Omi with sterile cloths that had been packaged individually and Victor watched over the veil they'd put up in front of her eyes as they injected her with something to deaden the pain and stop the contractions. Ed set up an IV and got a saline drip going to keep her hydrated during the surgery, Dr. Grey had even thought to bring the right blood type with her and they had it ready in case Omi needed it.

Victor felt like he was on a pendulum, swinging from gratitude for them knowing – and putting differences aside to come and help, to anger for their interference in something they didn't belong in. He could hear Summers and Toad sniping at each other in the front room, but Omi and the baby were his only concern at the moment.

He watched Grey as she made the incision, wincing at the pain Omi was going to feel when the medication wore off. Jean worked quickly, and in no time there was a squirming bloody thing on the cloth next to Omi – connected to her body by a bloody chord. Ed was suctioning the nose and throat and the scream that rent the air made him certain it was definitely his cub. Omi tried to sit up, but he held her down.

"Not yet, Baby." He whispered. "Let them get you stitched up."

Ed was taking care of the baby, while Jean cut the umbilical chord and removed the rest of the placenta. That was the smell he'd smelled, once that was out of her, Omi's scent was normal again. Victor watched fascinated as she worked coolly and professionally making sure there were no problems before closing the incision and removing the drapes.

"You should both be fine." She told Omi, smiling at the bundle Ed handed the new mother. "She's got quite a set of lungs."

"SHE!" Victor growled.

"It's a girl Victor; I've been telling you that for months." Ed said.

"Damn – another frail around the house." He grumbled aloud, but squeezed Omi's shoulders with pride. She'd given him the daughter he wanted, needed. Nothing was going to be good enough for either of them.

"Keep the incision clean, I closed it with the sutures that don't have to be removed, your body will absorb them, and the outer incision is covered with a plastic skin so you can shower and bathe. I wouldn't recommend moving much for a couple days, except to feed the baby. Let this jerk do the rest." Jean said to Omi.

"Thank you. I don't know where you came from, but thank you." Omi replied softly.

"Creed, I want a word with you – outside." Jean glared at him, and he was shocked to see her eyes go completely black. He just nodded, and kissed the top of Omi's head before following her out to the hall.

"I don't know where you got her – but she loves you, and if you hurt her or the baby – you won't live to see pain, am I clear." Jean hissed.

"Shut the fuck up and get the fuck out of my house." He snarled. "Omi's my wife – that's my cub in there – and neither you nor your damned Professor has anything to say about what goes on here."

"She nearly died tonight; you would have lost them both without us, the placenta had separated from the uterine wall, it was already breaking down." She snarled back.

"Maybe – Ed was already on his way, and got here in time – so don't get too full of yourself, Dr. Grey, he would have handled it just fine." He snapped. "Get out – and take your boy toy with you. My wife is my business."

"Just remember, people are watching you."

"I don't give a shit – better people than YOU are watching me, every day, the best is lying in that bed with my daughter in her arms, something I doubt you will EVER have the pleasure of knowing. I don't need you – I don't need your damned Professor and his damned rules. My life goes along just fine. I love my wife, and my daughter, and neither one of them will ever see the inside of your little Institute. Get out."

She turned with a huff and Scott followed her, glaring at him, his hands on the controls of his visor.

"Do it pretty boy, I dare ya. You couldn't kill me before – you can't now, but I'LL kill to protect my wife and child – so don't you ever forget it." Scott just glared – and walked out the door behind Jean.

They heard the helicopter blades start moving and he glared at Toad.

"You goin' with them?"

"Nope – want nothing ta do with them – thought I might crash on the couch, and then go lookin for Mags and crew later. I hear Myst is planning on busting his ass out of that Twinkie wrapper they have him in."

"Count me out – I have all I need right here." He grinned at the green mutant.

"I figured – I'll give Mags your regrets."

"Thanks Mort."

"Anytime Creed, anytime."

"Victor." Her voice whispered from the bedroom, and he turned to go back to his family.

"In a sec, Omi, getting Toad settled for the night." He threw a blanket and pillow at him.

He walked in; Ed was packing up his bag while Omi cuddled the baby close, her little nose already rooting for something to eat.

"You sayin' the night?" He asked the old doctor.

"Yep – stayin until they are both out of danger, unless an emergency comes up in town." Ed said. "Baby is two weeks early, and with the placenta separating like that, I want to make sure Omi doesn't hemorrhage on us."

"Thanks – there's a bed in the extra room." Ed grinned and slipped out the door.

"So what are we calling her?" He leaned down to look at her tiny face pressed against her mother's breast.

"Nova." Omi whispered.

"Nova Creed, welcome home." He whispered, stroking her tiny cheek. They'd have to call grandpa in the morning, but for tonight it was just the three of them. Omi leaned her cheek against his arm, and drifted off to sleep. Nothing was going to take them from him – nothing.

He reached down and took her tiny hand in his. Nova, her tiny little fingers tried to wrap around his pinkie. He could see the tiny claws on the tips of her fingers. She was definitely his cub.


End file.
